COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – University of Colorado Colorado Springs redshirt freshman setter
Raelynn Edge became the ninth Mountain Lion in program history to surpass 1,000 assists in a season as the Mountain Lions (14-11, 11-6 RMAC) earned a sweep of Black Hills State (11-16, 8-10 RMAC) tonight in the Gallogly Events Center. UCCS won in 25-23, 25-22 and 25-13 sets against the Yellow Jackets.
The Yellow Jackets took an early 8-4 lead in the first set after five straight points, but
Taylor Hamilton made three straight kills and started an 8-1 Mountain Lion run that provided a 12-9 UCCS lead. Black Hills State scored the next two points and stayed within two points of UCCS the rest of the set, but the Mountain Lions wouldn't trail in a 25-23 set victory.
Black Hills State scored the first four points of the second set, but UCCS took the lead with six straight points later in the set for an 11-10 lead. The teams tied nine times from 11-11 to 19-19 before the Mountain Lions put together back-to-back kills from
Grace Nelson and
Josie Russell for a 21-19 advantage. UCCS expanded its lead to three points at 23-20 and held off the Yellow Jackets for a 25-22 win in the second set.
UCCS scored six straight points in a larger 9-1 run to break a 7-7 tie in the third set for a 16-8 lead. The Mountain Lions finished the night on a 5-1 rally and held Black Hills State to a .028 hitting percentage in the set for a 25-13 win and the 3-0 match victory.
Edge finished with 44 assists tonight and improved her total to 1,029 this season. She moved into eighth in season records and needs 82 to tie for seventh.
Natasha Habert made 19 digs and improved her career total to 1,761. She needs 33 to tie the record set by Andrea Weedman from 2004 to 2007.
Russell led a balanced offensive attack with 13 kills and hit .462, while Hamilton made 12 digs with a.318 percentage.
Alyssa Brinton added 10 kills and
Taylor Smith finished nine.
Aly Morgan made 16 digs in her best performance since 17 against Wayne State.
UCCS will finish the regular season at home Saturday in a 5 p.m , match against South Dakota Mines. The Hardrockers (3-24, 1-16 RMAC) were off tonight.
