DENVER – University of Colorado Colorado Springs junior outside hitter Alyssa Brinton led the Mountain Lions with 14 kills and four blocks, but UCCS fell in a 3-1 setback against MSU Denver tonight at the Auraria Event Center. The Mountain Lions (8-7, 5-2 RMAC) won the first set 25-22 before 25-13, 25-17 and 25-17 losses in the next three sets to MSU Denver (9-6, 6-1 RMAC).

The teams tied 10 times in the first set, the last at 17-17 when UCCS started a five-point rally. The Roadrunners pulled within a point at 22-21 and 23-22 before a kill from Brinton and a block from Brinton and Raelynn Edge made it a 25-22 Mountain Lion victory. The win marked the 13th consecutive set win for UCCS since Sept. 22.

MSU Denver scored the first five points in the second set and opened an early 8-1 lead. The Roadrunners hit .842 in the set and evened the match on a 25-13 decision. A five-point run early in the third set turned a 4-2 UCCS advantage into a 7-4 MSU Denver lead, and a 5-1 run later in the set made it a 19-13 Roadrunner lead. MSU Denver finished with four straight points for a 25-17 win against UCCS. The Roadrunners put together a 7-1 rally in the fourth set for a 16-8 lead and took the match with another 25-17 decision in the final set.

Brinton led the offense for the second straight match with her 14 kills and matched her season-high with the four blocks. Taylor Smith finished with 10 kills in her first double-digit night since Sept. 23. Natasha Habert recorded 13 digs in the first set and finished with 18.

Edge broke the freshman season record for assists with 38 tonight and improved her total to 588. She broke the record set by Jessica Stewart in 2005, and needs 369 to tie for No. 10 in overall season records.

UCCS will return home on Thursday for a 7 p.m., match against Westminster (5-9, 2-4 RMAC).