THIS WEEK
The University of Colorado Colorado Springs volleyball team (10-11, 8-5 RMAC) will travel North this weekend for two road matches at Chadron State College and MSU Denver. The Mountain Lions will play the Eagles on Friday, Oct. 20 at 6 p.m., followed by Saturday's 5 p.m. match at MSU Denver.
With five league matches left on the calendar, the Mountain Lions are tied for sixth place with Colorado Christian University in the conference standings. Both teams split with each other, 3-1, during the regular season series.
Colorado School of Mines leads the 16-team conference with a 12-1 RMAC record (16-3).
SCOUTING THE EAGLES
Chadron State is on a two-match win streak and undefeated at home in their last four matches. Currently 7-14 (5-7 RMAC), they sit in ninth place in the RMAC and will be looking to make a push for RMAC tournament qualification. Last time out, they were victorious over CSU-Pueblo 3-1 and 3-2 over New Mexico Highlands University.
Defensively as a team, the Eagles are letting their opponents hit a league high 0.235 percent, while allowing the second most assists (13.14), kills (13.83), and service aces (1.6) per set. Additionally, they rank fourth in the RMAC with 16.43 digs per set.
Individually, Madison Webb ranks among the top 10 in assists per game with 9.61 (740 assists overall). Ashton Burditt is the league leader with 5.73 digs per set. Aracely Hernandez leads the team with 214 kills, 232 points and 778 total attacks. Brooke Gardner ranks second on the team in these categories with 202 kills, 208 points and 594 total attacks. Serving the ball, Karli Noble sets the tone with her team leading 18 service aces but also 25 serving errors.
SCOUTING THE ROADRUNNERS
MSU Denver enters the week unbeaten in their last six matches with their last five wins being won in three sets. Overall, they are 14-6 (10-2 RMAC). Last weekend they defeated New Mexico Highlands University and CSU-Pueblo in a sweeping fashion.
The Roadrunners rank among the top four in the RMAC in nearly every major category. They are fourth as a team with a .222 hitting percentage. They place third in opponents hitting percentage (.141), assists (12.71), kills (13.59), and blocks (2.06) per set.
Alyssa Kelling sets the pace for the team with a 0.301 hitting percentage placing her among the top 10 in the RMAC. Taylor Durea and Santaisha Sturges form a solid one-two punch with 3.39 and 3.10 kills per set. With 22 service aces and 0.31 per set, Durea is also setting tone as a server, good for another top 10 ranking among the RMAC leaderboards. Kelling has been teaming up with Stephane Laraway to make stops defensively as the duo are both averaging 0.87 blocks per set. Consistently keeping sets alive, Lyric Hebert gets 4.51 digs per set. Outside of the RMAC top 10, MSU Denver has other major contributors. The team relies on two setters as Morgan Weatherwax and Jesse Megenhardt provide the assists with 620 between them (317 and 303, respectively).
LEADERS IN THE RMAC
As a team the Mountain Lions rank fourth and fifth in several statistical categories. They sit fourth on the RMAC leaderboards allowing 14.43 digs per set showing that when their attack is on, they are very efficient. With 13.34 kills per set, they place fifth along with their 12.46 assists per set. Individually, there are several Mountain Lions ranked among the top 10 in the RMAC this season.
Josie Russell's attack game has been very strong this year with her .296 hitting percentage.
Raelynn Edge continues to be one of the best setters in the RMAC as she sets up her teammates at a very strong clip of 11.04 assists per set, as well as 883 assists overall. Edge's assists fair nicely for
Alyssa Brinton, as she averages 3.13 kills per set. Defensive anchors,
Lauren Brown and
Jordyn Kinsey lead the team and rank in the RMAC's top 10 with 0.92 blocks per set for the former and 4.38 digs per set for the latter.
LAST TIME OUT
The Mountain Lions wrapped up last week splitting their matches. They were swept by Regis University at home but came back to defeat Colorado Christian University 3-1 the day after.
Regis University came into the match looking strong as they received votes in the last AVCA Division II coaches' poll. The loss snapped a two-match winning streak for UCCS. The Mountain Lions entered the match with nine hitting errors and five service receiving errors while being held to seven kills and a -.057 hitting percentage. The Mountain Lions doubled their kills in the second set behind
Alyssa Brinton's seven kills and .429 hitting percentage but were edged by the Rangers by two points. Brinton led all 13 Mountain Lions with 10 kills and a .333 hitting percentage. Defensively she blocked one attack and dug up five.
Lauren Brown added seven kills and a block solo. As a team, UCCS finished with 30 kills and a .107 hitting percentage (30-19-103).
Raelynn Edge tallied all but four of the Mountain Lions 27 set assists.
Aly Morgan and
Jordyn Kinsey each accounted for 11 digs. Morgan served the Mountain Lions lone ace of the match which came in the first set.
Match two of the weekend saw the Mountain Lions dominate the first two sets, winning by scores of -22 and -21. UCCS combined for 30 kills between the two sets and hit .241, including 18 kills and a .389 hitting mark in the opening set. Defense controlled the second set with 22 digs and two blocks. UCCS lost set three, 25-18, but bounced back to win the match in set four, 25-17. Three Mountain Lions recorded double digit kills.
Josie Russell tallied 12 kills and hit .233 at the net while assisting on three blocks.
Alyssa Brinton and
Hannah Ammerman each added 11 kills. Defensively,
Aly Morgan dug up 21 digs while
Jordyn Kinsey chipped in 14 digs.
Lauryn Shockley served three of the Mountain Lions four aces and added two kills and 10 digs.
Lauren Brown led the defense at the net as she assisted on five blocks and added one solo block to go with five kills. UCCS finished the match with 52 kills, nine blocks, 45 set assists and 60 digs.
UP NEXT
UCCS will return home Oct. 26-27 for their final regular season home matches. The Mountain Lions will play host to Colorado Mesa University on Friday at 7 p.m., and Western State Colorado University on Saturday at 5 p.m.
