DENVER- The University of Colorado at Colorado Springs volleyball team's already remote playoff hopes became downright distant Friday evening after the Mountain Lions were beaten 3-1 (25-21, 25-23, 18-25, 25-19) by the Metro State Roadrunners at the Auraria Event Center.

With the loss, UCCS dropped to 12-13 overall and, more importantly, 7-9 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. With three matches remaining, the Mountain Lions trail Regis and Adams State, both 9-7, for the eighth and final spot in the RMAC postseason tournament.

UCCS will play at Regis Saturday evening. A loss there would officially eliminate the Mountain Lions.

Molly Crockett led UCCS with 11 kills Friday and shared the team lead for digs with Kelsey Pobar at 12. Lauren Orth added eight kills, Kim Boogaard had seven and Andrea Brodie and Karina Miastkowska each had six. Jessica Stewart has a team-high 26 assists.

Bri Morley led Metro State (15-8, 13-3 RMAC) with 13 kills. Amanda Cook added 12 kills and Lisa Jones had 11.

The Mountain Lions led 7-2 in the first set, but Cook had three kills to help the Roadrunners come back to even it at 11. Shortly afterward, a 4-1 run turned Metro State's 16-15 advantage into a 20-16 lead. The teams traded points the rest of the way.

A back-and-forth second set saw the Roadrunners with a 15-11 lead, but Boogaard had a kill and teamed with Brodie on a block to help UCCS to a 4-0 run. The Mountain Lions led 22-21 when back-to-back kills by Emily Greenhalgh and an errant UCCS attack put Metro State at set point. A Crockett kill only delayed the Metro win as Jones followed with the clincher.

UCCS stormed to a 7-1 lead in the third set, but Metro State answered with five straight. While the Mountain Lions never trailed in the set, the advantage was just two when UCCS scored five in a row to open up a 21-14 lead and coasted the rest of the way.

Set No. 4 was tied at 18 when Metro State had runs of three and four points sandwiched around a Miastkowska kill to close the match.