CHADRON, Neb. – Taylor Hamilton and Taylor Smith each led the University of Colorado Colorado Springs offense with nine kills while the defense held Chadron State to a 3.5 percent hitting percentage in a 3-0 week tonight in the conference-opening match at the Chicoine Center. The Mountain Lions (4-5, 1-0 RMAC) won in 25-10, 25-15 and 25-17 sets against the Eagles (3-6, 0-1 RMAC).

UCCS opened the match with an 8-2 lead in the first set and expanded its leads to 15-6 and 20-8 later in the set. The Mountain Lions hit .348 as a team in the 25-10 victory, and hit .360 in the second set for the 20-15 win and 2-0 match lead.

Chadron State led for the first time in the third set with a 3-2 lead, and led 8-6 later in the set. The teams tied 10 times in the set, the last at 15-15, before the Mountain Lions put together an 8-1 run for a 23-16 advantage. A block from Hamilton and Allegra Shippy closed out the match with a 25-17 win and the fourth straight win of the season.

Smith hit .444 in her best percentage of the season and Hamilton made five blocks on defense. Alyssa Brinton and Josie Russell added seven and five kills, respectively, as the Mountain Lions tallied 33 kills in the three-set match.

Natasha Habert made 21 digs and moved into third in program career records with 1,482. She moved past Melissa Clark and needs 189 to tie Laura Meeter for second. Raelynn Edge recorded 29 assists.

UCCS will return to Colorado for a 5 p.m., match on Saturday at No. 21 Regis. The Rangers (9-1, 1-0 RMAC) defeated MSU Denver 3-1 tonight.