MOON TOWNSHIP– The Robert Morris volleyball team defeated arch-rival Youngstown State Penguins in five sets Tuesday evening.

This was the first time Jocelyn Jourdan faced her old team since transferring to RMU. Jourdan played for the Penguins last season. She said this was a game that was circled on her calendar.

“It feels good [to win],” Jourdan said. “I still love all those girls the same, but just having RMU on my chest now, I didn’t let it scare me that they were my old team, and I think I didn’t back down. It’s an awesome feeling.”

The Colonials won the first two sets and were on the brink for another sweep, however the Penguins won the next two sets to force a winner-take-all fifth set.

“It doesn’t matter how we get it done, as long as we get it done,” head coach Danny Doherty said. “But, at the end of the day, we have a very resilient team that loves getting after it and loves doing what they do and they showcase it in a couple different ways.”

Youngstown State’s leading blocker Julia Sell left the game in the second set due to a left leg injury. She came out of the locker room in street clothes and on crutches. Kelsey Cooper replaced Sell and had three blocks in the match in her place

“Cooper came in and did a marvelous job. You hate to see anybody go down and I hope that she’s okay,” Doherty said. “She’s a very talented middle, and I think she did very well. So she stepped up with Sell going out. I think that’s commendable for her. There wasn’t a situational change, more of just getting after it and continuing to play the way that we needed to.”

Temple transfer Jalliyah Evans led the Colonials once again with a season-high 20 kills. The first-year Colonials like Evans and Jourdan had been the biggest difference makers, especially in years past against Horizon League competition.

“I think our culture has gotten better each game altogether,” Doherty said. “We know what each other needs, and we know how to pick each other up. When we’re losing, we know what to tell each other. We always are trying to help each other when we’re down.”

“We’ve meshed together great,” Jourdan said. “I think adjusting was easy and good for all of us. Like, all of our transfers, we always talk about it. We love our decision to come here.”

The Colonials will face Oakland on Friday and Saturday in Rochester Hills, Mich.