MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. — The Oakland University Golden Grizzlies (7-12, 2-5 Horizon) defeated Robert Morris (3-15, 1-6 Horizon), 3-2, on Friday night with set scores of 25-14, 25-23, 23-25, 22-25, and 15-10.
This was the sixth five-set match this season, including the fourth against a Horizon League opponent. Oakland won the first two sets before RMU forced a fifth, but the Golden Grizzlies answered with 11 kills and one error on 19 swings in the final set.
Oakland finished with 67 kills, 85 digs, and a .176 hitting percentage while holding the Colonials to .107.
Outside hitter Liv Hosford led Oakland with 17 kills and 21.5 points while adding 16 digs, three service aces, and two blocks. Setter Delaney Stern finished with 54 assists and 21 digs, along with four kills and a service ace. Libero Kalli Cook collected a team-high 24 digs and added eight assists. Middle blocker Ellen Zapp posted seven total blocks and added eight kills while hitting .261.
SET ONE: OAKLAND, 25-14
Oakland turned the first set around after RMU scored the opening point, answering with seven of the next eight points to build a 7-2 lead behind a block by opposite hitter Caroline Moore and Zapp, along with kills from Moore, outside hitter Molly Reck and Zapp. The Colonials cut the margin to 8-5, but Oakland responded with a block by Reck and middle blocker Lillian Frias, a Stern kill, and an RMU error to move ahead 11-5.
After a Hosford kill made it 15-8, Oakland scored four straight service points on Hosford's serve, including a Hosford ace, two Reck kills and a Moore kill, to stretch the lead to 19-8. Frias added two late kills, and after RMU reached 23-14, Hosford put Oakland at set point before a Colonials attack error closed a 25-14 Oakland win.
SET TWO: OAKLAND, 25-23
Oakland answered late pressure from RMU and took the second set, 25-23, despite ties at 21-21 and 23-23. Earlier, after the Colonials scored the first two points, Oakland responded with a 5-1 stretch that included a Zapp kill, back-to-back Hosford service aces and a Moore kill.
Oakland had to answer again after RMU led 12-11, scoring five of the next six points as Reck had two kills from Stern and defensive specialist Kiley Gallagher added a service ace for a 16-13 lead. The Colonials pulled even at 21-21, but Zapp put Oakland back in front. Moore answered with a kill for a 23-22 edge, and after the set was tied at 23-23, Reck and Hosford delivered consecutive kills from Stern to take the 25-23 win.
SET THREE: ROBERT MORRIS, 25-23
Oakland built a 20-12 lead in the third set but could not hold it, as RMU rallied late for a 25-23 decision. Earlier, Stern opened the set at the service line as Oakland won the first four points, with Moore, Stern and Zapp recording kills before Stern added an ace for a 4-0 lead.
Outside hitter Olivia Rust helped Oakland maintain its separation through the middle of the set with multiple kills, and Hosford added points at key moments, including a kill from Gallagher that put Oakland ahead 21-15. The Colonials answered with five straight points to close within 21-20, then tied the set at 22-22 and moved ahead 23-22 before Zapp's kill from Stern evened it at 23-23. Robert Morris followed with a kill and an ace to end the set and extend the match.
SET FOUR: ROBERT MORRIS, 25-22
Oakland pushed back late in the fourth set, cutting a 22-17 deficit to 22-21 behind a Colonials service error, a block by Rust and Zapp, an RMU attack error, and a block by Moore and Zapp. Earlier, Hosford had kills on Oakland's first point and at 6-5, then added another after RMU moved ahead 9-6.
A block by Hosford and Zapp and a Colonials attack error tied the set at 9-9. Oakland later moved from an 11-11 tie to a 13-11 lead on an RMU attack error and a Frias kill from Stern, but the Colonials answered from 14-14 with four straight points to put Oakland down 18-14.
Frias ended that run with a kill from Stern, and Hosford added two more kills before Oakland made its late run. Moore's kill from Stern got Oakland within 23-22, but RMU scored the final two points to take the set 25-22.
SET FIVE: OAKLAND, 15-10
Oakland won the final four points of the fifth set, turning an 11-10 edge into a 15-10 set win behind two Zapp kills, an RMU attack error, and Reck's finish from Cook. Earlier, Oakland answered the Colonials' opening point with a Rust kill, then moved ahead 3-1 after a Zapp-Reck block and another RMU attack error.
The Colonials came back to lead 5-4, but Reck tied the set and added two more kills during a push that carried Oakland to an 8-5 advantage. After RMU cut it to 8-7 and later 11-10, kills from Frias, Rust, and Zapp helped Oakland keep answering before the closing burst completed the set.
The Golden Grizzlies are back on the court tomorrow to face RMU once again on Saturday, Oct. 17, at 3 p.m. ET at the UMPC Events Center. The match will be available to watch on ESPN+.
How to Follow Oakland Volleyball: For complete information on Oakland Volleyball, follow the team on X at
@OaklandWVB and head coach
Krista Rice at
@KKg1007. The team is also on
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