BALTIMORE – UMBC sophomore outside
hitter Hannah
Schmidt (Baltimore, Md./Mount de Sales) recorded her
fourth double-double of the season with 11 kills and 15 digs as the
Retrievers defeated Robert Morris, 3-0 (25-20, 25-22, 25-20),
Friday morning in the first contest of the Maddie Bingaman
Tournament at the RAC Arena.
For Schmidt it was her fifth contest with double-digit kills
this season while junior middle blocker Emily
Witsaman (Medina, Ohio/Medina) was also in double figures
with ten winners.
Freshman setter Paige
Miller (Reading, Pa./Schuylkill Valley) spread the ball
around nicely throughout the match recording a total of 37 assists,
including at least one to six different teammates.
After a cagey opening, UMBC broke open the set by going on a 9-2
run to claim a seven point lead, 13-6, after a kill by redshirt
freshman Krystal
Mlemchukwu (Baltimore, Md./Western
Tech). Robert Morris (2-6) answered with a rally to pull
within three at 13-10, but could not get any
closer. Leading 20-16, the Retrievers won three straight
points, then held off a late charge to claim the opening frame,
25-20.
The second set was a similar story as neither team could break
away from the other, tying 10 times along the way. UMBC
finally took the lead and never trailed again by winning five
consecutive points including a kill each from Witsaman and
junior Hallie
Carter (Huntington Beach,
Calif./Edison). Robert Morris put up a rally of its own,
however, and climbed back and tied the set one more time at 21
before the Retrievers claimed four of the last five points in the
set to win 25-22.
In set three, the Retrievers came out firing and took a 9-5 lead
on a kill by senior Ali
Loynachan (Whitby, Ontario/Sinclair). Following
two straight points for the Colonials, UMBC ran off six consecutive
points to stake to a 15-7 advantage. Robert Morris
strung together a few runs, but ultimately could not catch the host
Retrievers who swept the match with a 25-20 third set win.
The Retrievers return to the court for their second contest of
the tournament on Friday evening to host Pac-12 opponent Colorado
at 7 p.m. at the RAC Arena.
DAWG BITES
- With
the win, UMBC leveled the all-time series with Robert Morris at six
wins each.
- The
Retrievers win was the team's first over the Colonials since a 3-0
sweep in 2000.
- UMBC
has now won its past four home-openers. The Retrievers
last loss in a home-opener came in a 3-2 defeat to UMES in
2008.
