MILWAUKEE – The Milwaukee volleyball team trailed 10-5 in the deciding fifth set on Friday evening but erased the five-point deficit to emerge with a thrilling 17-15 victory over Robert Morris in a key Horizon League matchup.
 
Natalie Schmitz had two kills, Ella Schuetz added one, and Annie Eschenbach contributed a solo block during the final stretch to help the Panthers improve to 8-7 in league play and win their fourth match in a row.
 
"That was a battle the whole match," commented head coach Susie Johnson. "Robert Morris really came to play, and we had to dig deep to get that team win. It was all about team effort and believing to the end."
 
Schmitz finished the night with a season-best 18 kills, while Josie Noble and Schuetz each added 13. Noble led Milwaukee with eight blocks, and Schuetz recorded a double-double with a season-high 19 digs.
 
Eschenbach continues her torrid stretch of late with another dozen kills, posting a team-best .345 hitting percentage to go along with six blocks and six digs. Bella Lipski contributed with six kills and five blocks.
 
Milwaukee's setters guided the offense, as Josie Johnson notched a double-double with 28 assists, tying her season high, and 16 digs. Milica Tomic added 25 assists, one shy of her season best.
 
For the third time in the last four matches, Kara Erdmann reached the 30-dig plateau, finishing with 33.
 
The Panthers took the opening set 25-20 and followed with a 25-23 win in the second.
 
Robert Morris led 24-21 in the third before Milwaukee rallied with back-to-back blocks, but the Colonials held on to  avoid the sweep, 25-23.
 
In the fourth, Milwaukee led 15-11 midway through, but a furious rally by the visitors forced a decisive fifth set. Robert Morris scored 13 of the next 14 points to take a 24-16 lead, and after four straight by Milwaukee, RMU finished off the set to tie the match at two.
 
With the momentum their favor, the Colonials raced out to a 5-1 lead in the fifth and eventually led by five at 10-5. The Panthers responded with three straight points, including blocks from Noble and Schuetz, before RMU scored twice to go up 12-8. Schuetz landed a kill, Noble followed with an ace to make it 12-10, but the Colonials answered with a kill.
 
Schuetz delivered again to bring Milwaukee within two, and Eschenbach followed with a solo block to cut it to one. After RMU reached match point at 14-12, Schuetz and Eschenbach came through with back-to-back plays to tie the score at 14.
 
Schmitz gave Milwaukee its first lead at 15-14, but the Colonials responded once more. Schmitz then connected on her 18th kill of the night to set up match points, and a Robert Morris hitting error sealed the 17-15 comeback win for the Panthers.
 
The teams finished nearly even statistically, with both totaling 89 points and 94 digs. Robert Morris held narrow advantages in kills (75-67) and assists (69-66), while Milwaukee led in blocks (15-12) and aces (7-2), paced by Johnson and Kati Goba with two apiece.
 
Jocelyn Jourdan and Natalie Stepanovich powered the Colonials with 24 kills each, a career high for both, as each recorded a double-double. Jasmie Purakal tallied a team-best 33 digs, Kaitlyn Brown set a career high with 65 assists, and Keira Hornung led RMU with eight blocks.
 
Following the conclusion of the marathon match, the Panthers recognized their five-player senior class with Erdmann, Johnson, Schmitz, along with Hallie Cook and Hailey Hutchings being recognized for their efforts and contributions to the program.
 
Milwaukee and Robert Morris will square off again on Saturday afternoon, with first serve set for 2:00 p.m. at the Klotsche Center.