COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs volleyball team outlasted Western Colorado University Friday night at Gallogly Events Center as they went the distance in a five-set win.  Tonight's win was the second league win for UCCS and their third win at home.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP

• Final Score: 3-2 (25-21, 19-25, 19-25, 27-25, 15-13)
• Records: UCCS (5-11, 2-7 RMAC) | Western Colorado (9-8, 4-5 RMAC)
• Facility | Location:  Gallogly Events Center | Colorado Springs, Colo.
• All-Time Series: With tonight's five set win over the Mountaineers, the Mountain Lions broke the all-time series tie and now own a 24-23 record against WCU.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Mountain Lions took a decisive 25-21 win in the opening set and never trailed Western Colorado.  Lauryn Shockley tallied a set high five kills as Maren Burkhart and Camden Strain added four kills apiece.
• The next two sets belonged to Western Colorado as they took sets two and three by matching scores of 25-19.  The Mountaineers used 14 kills and a .429 hitting percentage while blocking three UCCS attacks to even the match at 1-1.  WCU continued their hot hand in the third set, hitting .297 at the net and blocking four more attacks.  The Mountaineers combined for only four attack errors in their two set wins while forcing UCCS to commit 17 errors.
• Both teams went the distance in the fourth set with UCCS prevailing, 27-25.  Trailing 20-16, UCCS came back strong and went on a 5-1 run to knot the match at 21-21.  Burkhart started the run with a kill and then joined Shockley at the net for a block assist.  An ace by Strain brought UCCS within one point, 20-19.  Coming out of a WCU timeout, the Mountaineers stopped the 3-0 run with a kill by Jaeda Davis-Golliher, but Shockley's kill and a WCU attack error tied the set at 21 all.    Four points later and a 25-25 tie, the Mountain Lions put the set away after forcing the Mountaineers to commit an attacking error, followed by Strain's set-winning kill to end the action, 27-25. 
• The fifth and deciding set was just as electrifying as the fourth set and featured three lead changes and the scored tied nine times.  Grace Ferguson tied the set for the ninth time after putting down a kill that brought the Mountain Lions even with WCU, 13-13.  Hannah Ammerman and Ferguson tag-teamed to block a Western attack and take a 14-13 lead.  After the Mountaineers called their second timeout of the set, Strain sealed the win for the second straight set from a kill.

 
MATCH STATISTICS

• Three Mountain Lions accounted for at least 13 kills.  Shockley led both teams with 19 kills and hit .333 at the net while adding eight digs and three blocks. 
• Strain accounted for the second most kills in the match, 16, and added four aces.  Burkart finished the night with 13 kills, one solo block and four block assists.
• Steering the offense was Ettel with 55 of UCCS' 64 assists.
• Jordyn Kinsey tied with Western's Emily Mangone for a match high 20 digs.
• The Mountain Lions finished the night with 71 kills, a .215 hitting mark, 64 assists, 63 digs and eight blocks.
• Western Colorado, who was led by Davis-Golliher's 13 kills and five block assists, posted 59 kills and hit .270 with 62 digs, 11 blocks and six aces.

 
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• Tonight's match marked the sixth time this season UCCS went five sets.  Five of the six five-set matches have come at home.  The Mountain Lions are 3-3 this season in five-set matches.

 
UP NEXT

• The Mountain Lions will play host to Fort Lewis College on Saturday at 4 p.m.

 
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As a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs competes in 16 varsity sports in NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics.