Volleyball dealt heartbreaking 3-2 setback at Robert Morris

(boxscore)

10/23/04 -- Long Island put forth a gallant battle against reigning Northeast Conference champion Robert Morris before succumbing to a 3-2 setback (30-21, 21-30, 30-27, 23-30, 13-15) in Moon Township, Pa.

The Blackbirds (21-6, 0-1 NEC) pounded 17 kills in game three and notched a .292 hitting percentage vs. a .183 percentage for the Colonials (13-8, 2-0). LIU recorded 16 kills in game four, but Robert Morris posted 22 and a .340 percentage to square the match.

Game five saw Robert Morris finish with nine kills and end the match with a 78-69 edge. LIU totaled six kills.

Senior Ivana Vasiljevic (Brcko, Bosnia & Herzegovina) again played solidly with 47 assists and 23 digs for her 65th career match with at least a double-double. Sophomore Dana Demayo (Ra'anana, Israel) ended with 15 kills and 26 digs, senior Cristina Pintilie (Cluj Napoca, Romania) had 20 and eight, and junior Melanie Fleig (Villingen, Germany) posted 17 and nine.

Junior Adela Igniska (Baia Mare, Romania) amassed 17 digs with freshman Jasmine Perez (Kingwood, Texas) contributing 12 for LIU, which had its second six-match winning streak of the season snapped.

Megan Bell paced Robert Morris with 26 kills, 18 digs and a .404 hitting percentage. Rachel Leitch closed with 17 kills and Emily Wolthuis added 15.

LIU again looks to break the school's single-season wins record Sunday against St. Francis (PA), beginning at 10:00 am.