THIS WEEK'S MATCHES

The University of Colorado Colorado Springs Mountain Lions host their final regular season match this Friday against the Colorado School of Mines.

• Nov. 15 at 7 p.m. vs. Colorado School of Mines (19-6, 12-5 RMAC), Colorado Springs, Colo./Gallogly Events Center
   

GAME COVERAGE

Video:  https://portal.stretchinternet.com/uccs/

Live Stats:  https://gomountainlions.com/sidearmstats/wvball/summary

LAST TIME OUT

• The Mountain Lions had a tough weekend losing both Friday and Saturday's matches.  Friday night, UCCS put up a fight taking Western State Colorado University to five sets where Raelynn Edge recorded a match high 48 assists.  Jordyn Kinsey helped her team stay in both matches accumulating 40 digs for the weekend. UCCS fought hard to stay in the competition Saturday night taking Colorado Mesa University to 25 points, but the efforts by Ashton Reese and Kasie Gilfert on offense for the Mavericks pulled through with 23 kills combined.
   

The Series

• UCCS played the Orediggers at the beginning of October this year where they lost 0-3.  The Mountain Lions took the first set to 29-32 and held the second two sets to a close finish as well.  UCCS and CSM are even in the series record at 25-25.
   

Scouting Report

• The Orediggers are ranked third in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference with their 12-5 conference  record and 19-6 overall record.

• Abby Tiesman is a dominant player for CSM getting in the top 10 for four categories.  Tiesman is No. 1 in hitting percentage and points per set with .390 hitting percentage and averaging 4.71 points a set. Tiesman is third in the RMAC for kills with 3.79/set, and ninth in blocks achieving 1.03/set.

• Jin Tabbed was awarded Offensive Player of the Week for the RMAC for her 35 kills, a .433 hitting percentage, and 4.38 kills a set over the weekend.

Hot Takes

• UCCS is currently ranked No. 9 in the RMAC with 8-9 conference record and 10-15 overall record.

• Grace Nelson remains in the top 10 for hitting percentage with a .303 average.

• Jordyn Kinsey established her No. 9 ranking in digs averaging 4.18 a set.
   

Honoring Our Seniors

• Raelynn Edge is native of Albuquerque, N.M. and a product of Sandia High School, Edge has seen action in nearly 300 sets for the Mountain Lions.  She ranks fifth all-time in the UCCS record books with more than 2,700 assists. Edge has accounted for nearly 80 aces and 500 digs. A five-time RMAC Setter of the Week and a two-time RMAC All-Academic honor roll member, Ege will graduate from UCCS with a Business Management degree.

• Lauren Brown was recruited from Highlands Ranch, Colo., Brown competed for ThunderRidge High School.  Brown has played in 227 sets for the Mountain Lions and achieved nearly 420 kills and 185 blocks. Brown has been awarded RMAC All-Academic Honors for the 2019 season and will graduate from UCCS with a Business Management degree.

• Grace Nelson came to UCCS from Tampa, FL. and played for Cambridge Christian High School.  She saw action in over 300 sets as a Mountain Lion and put down nearly 650 kills with a .462 hitting percentage.  Nelson is a two-time RMAC All-Academic Honoree and will be graduating UCCS with a degree in Psychology.

• Anabela Cagen  is a native from Paia, Hawaii, Cagen was recruited from Seabury High School.  During her time as a Mountain Lion she has played in 88 sets and achieved 47 kills and 32 blocks for her career.  A two-time RMAC All-Academic Honor Roll member, Cagen will be graduating UCCS with a degree in Biological and Biomedical Sciences

• Aly Morgan comes to us from Elizabeth, Colo. and is a product of Elizabeth High School.  Morgan saw action in 363 matches and accounted for over 850 digs and nearly 140 assists. Morgan is a two-time RMAC All-Academic Honoree and will be graduating with a Business Management degree.

• Taylor Smith comes out of Littleton, Colo. where she played for Regis Jesuit High School.  Smith saw play for 325 sets at UCCS and racked up almost 700 kills and 320 digs. Smith is also a two-time RMAC All-Academic Honor Roll member and is graduating with a degree in Business Management.

UCCS Under Head Coach Chrissy Elder

• Coach Chrissy Elder recorded her 100-win milestone mark on Oct. 25 at Colorado Christian University.  An interim head coach in 2006 at Missouri-Kansas City where she went 7-23, she has garnered 94 wins at UCCS (94-96), including three winning seasons.  In her eighth year as a head coach, Elder has a 101-118 record.

• Elder has led the Mountain Lions to the RMAC Tournament for six seasons, and has coached 19 all-conference and 38 academic all-conference performers.

• Elder came to UCCS from the University of Central Missouri where she was a member of a coaching staff that lead the Jennies to the NCAA Division II national semifinals in 2010 and the national quarterfinals in 2011.  She joined the staff in 2007 as an assistant coach before she was promoted to Head Assistant Coach in 2009. Prior to joining the staff at Central Missouri, Elder was the interim head coach for the University of Missouri-Kansas City.  She joined the Kangaroo staff as a graduate assistant coach in 2005. Elder finished her collegiate playing career at Pittsburg State University, where she also doubled as a student assistant coach for the Gorillas in her senior season.  She was an All-American and All-Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association setter. In 2005, Elder earned her bachelor's degree in recreation and fitness management from Pittsburg State, and in 2008 she went on to earn her master's degree from UMKC.

Upcoming Matches

UCCS is currently a half game behind Chadron State College entering the weekend.  The RMAC Tournament bracket will be announced Friday night, with the Quarterfinal round starting on Tuesday, Nov. 19.