The University of Colorado Colorado Springs women's volleyball team (7-3, 2-0 RMAC) is set to host their first home conference match of the season as the Mountain Lions take on Black Hills State (4-6, 0-2 RMAC), and Chadron State (2-8, 0-2 RMAC) this weekend. The Mountain Lions look to defend their court, entering the weekend with a home record 4-0 at the Gallogly Events Center.

UCCS will take on Black Hills State for the first time ever on Friday, Sept. 21, and then will play Chadron State on Saturday, Sept. 22. The Mountain Lions have the overall edge on Chadron State with a lifetime record of 17-9, including wins in the last 14 matchups dating back to October 17, 2003.  

Leading the way for the Mountain Lions is senior middle blocker Nikki Kinzer, who was named the RMAC Defensive Player of the Week. To earn the honors, she averaged 1.43 blocks in each of the Mountain Lions two road wins last week.  On Friday, in a 3-1 win at Colorado Christian, she totaled five block assists, eight digs and added 10.5 points. The next night in a 3-0 win at No. 17 Colorado Mines, she tabbed five blocks again, three digs and 13.5 points.

Kinzer finds herself moving up the all-time leader board for records at UCCS. She is currently tied for No. 1 all-time in block assists in the rally scoring era (since 2001) at UCCS with 265.  She also currently ranks No. 8 all-time in the rally scoring era, for solo blocks with 33. The current No. 1 has 60.

Lindsey Stich also finds herself atop the UCCS all-time leader board as she is currently No. 10 all-time at UCCS in assists with 1,202. The current No. 9 has 1346. Stich is averaging just fewer than seven assists per set, and had season highs of 38 in both matchups last weekend.

Freshman Jordan Banich comes off a career match as she recorded 17 kills, with eight in the third set against Colorado Mines on Sept. 15. Banich is currently leading the team, averaging 2.4 kills per set.

Banich, Stich, Kinzer, and all the other Mountain Lion's look to defend their perfect home record this weekend against Black Hills State on Friday at 7 p.m. and Chadron State on Saturday at 5 p.m.