Mountain Lions hang tough, still get swept by Mavs
The University of Colorado at Colorado Springs volleyball team ran into the toughest opponent it has played all year Saturday evening in Grand Junction, Colo. And for at least one game, the Mountain Lions proved they could play with one of the best teams in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.
CU-Colorado Springs (5-4, 0-2 RMAC) played well but still got swept 3-0 (30-17, 30-28, 30-19) by the Mesa State Mavericks (7-2, 2-0). Perennial RMAC powerhouse Mesa State hit a gaudy .308 for the match as they sent the Mountain Lions to their third consecutive defeat.
The Mavericks were led by preseason All-RMAC player Nikki Green, who had 18 kills, eight digs and three blocks. The Mountain Lions were paced by Jill Wrenn and Kelly Angel, who recorded 11 and 10 kills respectively.
After Mesa State comfortably won Game 1, CU-Colorado Springs gave the Mavericks all they could handle in Game 2. Mesa State lead by as many as eight before the Mountain Lions went on a run. With the Mavericks up 15-7, CU-Colorado Springs closed the gap to one with a 13-6 run capped off with a Lindsey Hillegass kill. The Mountain Lions would go on to take the lead and were up 28-27 late in the match, but a furious close by the Mavericks denied CU-Colorado Springs the win.
CU-Colorado Springs hung with the Mavericks for a while in Game 3 before eventually being put away to end the match.
UCCS Players/Staff Featured | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Lindsey Hillegass | 10 | S | Jr. |
 | Lindsey Hillegass | 10 | S | So. |
 | Jill Wrenn | 5 | OH/RS | Fr. |
 | Jill Wrenn | 4 | RS | So. |
 | Jill Wrenn | 5 | RS | |
 | Jill Wrenn | 5 | RS | |
| Additional News Stories | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| November 29, 2004 |  | Volleyball adds two key recruits | The transformation of the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs volleyball program moved into phase 2 Monday when second-year coach Jessica Wood announced the addition of two key recruits during the early signing period. |
| November 13, 2004 |  | Season comes to an end in Kearney | Perhaps if the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs hadn’t played the Nebraska Kearney Lopers so tightly in their first meeting of the season, the Lopers may have looked past CU-Colorado Springs.After the Mountain Lions gave No. 1 Nebraska Kearney all they could handle on Oct. 16, the Lopers knew they would have to bring their A-game when the two teams met again in the opening round of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Tournament Friday night in Kearney, Neb. And that’s exactly what the Lopers did.As they have done all season Nebraska-Kearney (34-0) proved it was the best team in the country dismantling the Mountain Lions 3-0 (30-13, 30-20, 30-21). Kearney outhit CU-Colorado Springs .361 to .077. |
| November 6, 2004 |  | Mountain Lions playoff bound | The University of Colorado at Colorado Springs defeated the Colorado College Tigers 3-0 (30-22, 30-28, 30-25) in a match that ended at 7:20 p.m. Saturday night. But the Mountain Lions’ bigger victory came two hours later in the mountain town of Gunnison. |
| November 5, 2004 |  | Mountain Lions Waiting | It's out of their hands now. |
| November 3, 2004 |  | Mountain Lions stay alive, beat CSU-P | The University of Colorado at Colorado Springs beat its biggest rival Tuesday evening in Pueblo. The Mountain Lions won a hard-fought match over the Colorado State-Pueblo Thunderwolves 3-1 (24-30, 30-24, 30-28, 32-30). |
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