Box Score

HACKENSACK, N.J. -- The Fairleigh Dickinson women's volleyball team was on the wrong end of a very competitive three-set match with visiting Robert Morris at Stratis Arena in the Northeast Conference opener for both sides Saturday afternoon. The Knights lost, 3-0, to the Colonials by scores of 25-23, 25-19 and 29-27 and are now 1-13 (0-1 NEC) on the season, while Robert Morris improves to 1-14 (1-0 NEC) overall.

In the opening set the Colonials jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead and still held a three-point advantage at 9-6, but a kill by graduate student Violeta Slabakova (Shelby Township, Mich./Utica) triggered a 5-0 run to give FDU an 11-9 lead.

After five ties, the visitors were able to break away from a 16-16 tie with four consecutive points to go ahead 20-16. But a kill by junior Hanifa Addi (Springdale, Md./Charles H. Flowers) started a 6-2 run, which was capped by freshman Alyssa Mcivor's kill, to deadlock the set at 22-22. Another kill my Mcivor tied the set at 23-23, but RMU scored the final two points to take the first set.

To start the second set, the Knights took the early 3-0 lead thanks to two more kills by Mcivor, but the Colonials came back and eventually tied the set, 7-7. With the score all tied at 9-9, RMU took the lead until FDU fought back to even the score, 16-16, on an attack error.

However, the Colonials would take the lead for good despite the Knights cutting the deficit to one two more times, with the last occurance coming at 20-19. RMU scored the final five points to take the second set.

In the third and final set Mcivor smashed another kill to give FDU a 1-0 lead, but the Colonials rallied to score the next five points.

The Colonials then were able to extend their advantage out to six on four different occasions, with the last time coming at 15-9, but the Knights decided to stage a comeback with a 13-7 run, and a kill by Slabakova tied the match at 22-22.

FDU fought off two set points and eventually were serving to take the set with leads of 26-25 and 27-26. But the visitors did not break and scored the final three points to take the match.

Playing in her first collegiate match, Mcivor led the Knights with 15 kills, while Slabakova chipped in 11. Also on offense, sophomore Allison Butler (Plano, Texas/Plano) dished out 34 assists.

Defensively sophomore Corey Lostetter (Jefferson Hills, Pa./Thomas Jefferson) recorded 10 digs, with Butler and junior Deborah Hong (Rutherford, N.J./Rutherford) each chipping in eight. Slabakova added four block-assists.

FDU will have a quick turnaround when it hosts Saint Francis University for a 1 p.m. NEC match at Stratis Arena on Sunday.