SILVER CITY, N.M. - The University of Colorado Colorado Springs volleyball team overcame a two-set deficit and a serious case of road fatigue to defeat the Western New Mexico Mustangs Friday evening.

Western New Mexico took games one and two 25-14 and 25-20 before dropping three straight 20-25, 25-27 and 13-15.

 The Mustangs fell to 5-5 (1-1, RMAC) while UCCS improved to 6-4 (2-0, RMAC).

The match was the second of an epic three-match road trip. The Mountain Lions traveled 302 miles (5 hours, 53 minutes according to Mapquest) to Durango Thursday. They then headed 497 miles (7:58) to Silver City, N.M. for Friday's date with Western New Mexico. NDURANGO, Colo. - Behind 18 kills by Nikki Kinzer, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs won its third straight match with a 3-1 (26-28, 25-19, 25-20, 25-21) victory over the Fort Lewis Skyhawks Thursday evening at Whalen Gymnasium.

The match was the first of an epic three-match road trip. The Mountain Lions traveled 302 miles (5 hours, 53 minutes according to Mapquest) to Durango Thursday. They will head 497 miles (7:58) to Silver City, N.M. for a Friday date with Western New Mexico before heading to Las Vegas, N.M. (405 miles, 6:06) for a Saturday match against New Mexico Highlands. Add the return trip to Colorado Springs and the UCCS volleyball team will have spent - assuming there are no construction or other delays - 23 hours and 42 minutes on a bus covering 1,461 miles.

What a great way for the Mountain Lions to begin their Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference schedule.

But at least the trip had a promising start as UCCS overcame dropping the first set to win, improving to 5-4 overall and 1-0 in the RMAC. Fort Lewis dropped to 3-6, 0-1 RMAC.

Alex Wood added 10 kills for UCCS, with Sonja Johnson and Megan Koop adding nine and seven respectively. Johnson and Wood each had a team-best 17 digs and Skylar Lewandowski had 15. Setter Cindy Bathelt had 45 assists, seven digs and five kills.

Ashley Wells led the Skyhawks with 13 kills. Jenna Kinzer, Nikki's sister, had a match-high 21 digs.

Nikki Kinzer had three consecutive kills and teamed with Wood on two blocks during a seven-point run that gave the Mountain Lions a 14-7 lead in the opening set. The Skyhawks came back to tie it at 16 and were leading 23-22 when kills by Johnson and Laura Loosbrock gave UCCS match point. The Mountain Lions also served for match point at 25-24 and 26-25, but kills by Ashley Wilson and Wells along with a UCCS attack error gave Fort Lewis the set.

There were 12 tie scores in the second set, the final one at 19, but UCCS scored the final six points to even the match at a set each.

UCCS went ahead 4-3 in the fourth set and never trailed, although the lead never got to more than four until a 3-0 run closed the set out at 25-20. The final set was much the same except that the Mountain Lions took their first lead at 2-1 and led by as many as eight.xt up will be Las Vegas, N.M. (405 miles, 6:06) for a Saturday match against New Mexico Highlands. Add the return trip to Colorado Springs and the UCCS volleyball team will have spent - assuming there are no construction or other delays - 23 hours and 42 minutes on a bus covering 1,461 miles.
 

NOTE: Due to technical problems at the host site, a box score and a full write-up will not be available until Saturday.