SPEARFISH, S.D. – University of Colorado Colorado Springs redshirt freshman setter
Raelynn Edge made 66 assists in the fifth-best performance in program history as the Mountain Lions (11-10, 8-5 RMAC) fell in five sets to Black Hills State (10-12, 7-6 RMAC). The Yellow Jackets claimed the match in 23-25, 14-25, 26-24, 27-25 and 15-13 sets at the Donald E. Young Center.
Edge's performance is fifth in UCCS five-set history and tied for fifth among all matches. It was the most for a Mountain Lion in the 25-point era and the most since Lindsey Hillegass made 71 against St. Joseph's on Sept. 3, 2004.
Natasha Habert led UCCS with 30 digs and tied for the sixth-best Mountain Lion performance in five sets and the best since 2007. She improved her career total to 1,693, and moved past Laura Meeter for second in program records. Habert needs 101 to tie the record set by Andrea Weedman from 2004 to 2007.
The Mountain Lions scored five straight points in the first set and took a 15-11 lead against the Yellow Jackets. Black Hills State pulled within a point five times later in the set, the last at 24-23, but UCCS took advantage of an attack error to take the first set 25-23. The Mountain Lions finished the second set on a 12-3 rally and took a 2-0 match lead on a 25-14 victory.
UCCS and Black Hills State tied 16 times in the third set. The Mountain Lions took the lead at 21-20 after a 6-2 run and reached match point at 24-23, but the Yellow Jackets used a pair of kills and a solo block to score the next three points in a 26-24 decision. UCCS held match point again at 24-21 in the fourth set before Black Hills State finished the set on a 6-1 rally and forced a fifth set on a 27-25 score.
The Mountain Lions scored the first four points and opened a 7-2 advantage after a block from
Taylor Hamilton and
Taylor Smith. Black Hills State tied the set at 11-11, but UCCS retook one-point leads at 12-11 and 13-12 on kills from
Alyssa Brinton and
Josie Russell, respectively. The Yellow Jackets took its first lead of the set at 14-13 and secured the comeback off an attack error for the 15-13 score.
Brinton led the offense with 25 kills and tied for the seventh-best performance in UCCS history for a five-set match. She matched her career-high with 17 digs on defense. Russell added a season-high 15 kills and finished with multiple blocks for the ninth time in the last 10 matches. Smith finished with 13 kills for the second straight match.
Hamilton led the blockers and matched her career-high with eight and finished one away from a top-10 UCCS mark. The Mountain Lions made a season-high 12 team blocks.
UCCS will travel east on Interstate 90 for a Saturday match at South Dakota School of Mines. The Hardrockers (3-20, 1-11 RMAC) fell 3-0 to MSU Denver earlier tonight.
