MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. – Senior libero Carly O'Sullivan stepped into the attack position and registered a season-high 10 kills but the Fairleigh Dickinson volleyball team suffered a straight-set defeat at Robert Morris (24-26, 16-25, 23-25) on Saturday night.
 
The Knights (3-14, 0-3 NEC) nearly pulled out victories in the first and third sets, however, the Colonials (9-9, 3-0 NEC) held on for the sweep and remained unbeaten in conference play.
 
O'Sullivan, who has served as the team's libero all season, made the most of her front-row opportunities by tallying a team-high 10 kills – with just one attack error – en route to a .409 attack percentage. With two key hitters missing from the lineup due to injury, the senior stepped up and delivered for the Knights in the difficult road test.
 
Fellow senior, Taylor Wyckoff also was efficient in the loss, putting away half of her chances finishing with nine kills on 18 tries for a .500 attack percentage.
 
The first set was neck-and-neck as the two teams traded points throughout the frame before the Knights took a three-point edge, 21-18 after kills by Wyckoff and sophomore hitter Erika Sullivan.
 
Leading 23-21 the Knights were close to finishing the set before the Colonials fought back with three straight points, highlighted by a kill from Taylor Lord. Lord finished with 13 kills and eight digs in the victory.
 
Wyckoff temporarily extended the set at 24-24 with a kill before back-to-back kills by Robert Morris' Deja Tamlin and Lord closed out the first-set.
 
The Knights led 8-5 in the second set before the Colonials took control. Lord and teammate Emma Granger spurred the Colonials on as they opened up a 21-14 lead on their way to the eight-point win.
 
Granger led all with a match-best 14 kills and added five service aces to her ledger on the night.
 
The third and decisive set saw the Knights open up their largest lead of the Knight 12-6 after a kill by sophomore Annabel Reyes.
 
The lead held at 18-12 before the Colonials fought back to even the score with six unanswered tallies. Lord registered a pair of kills during the stretch as momentum swung into the Colonials' corner.
 
Trading points, the Knights eventually moved in front 23-22 after a kill by Wyckoff, however, the Colonials closed out the match by scoring the final three points of the night, including a match-ending ace from Granger.
 
The loss marks the end of the Knights' long stretch of road contests as the team will now play eight straight home matches through the month of October.
 
The long stretch begins next weekend when they host Bryant on Friday, October 6 at 5:00 p.m.