LAKEWOOD, Colo. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs volleyball team battled to five sets with Colorado Christian University, but fell short to the Cougars in Lakewood, Colo., 3-2, Saturday night.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP

• Final Score: 2-3 (21-25, 25-23, 19-25, 26-24, 11-15)
• Records: UCCS (8-17, 5-13 RMAC) | Colorado Christian (11-15, 8-10 RMAC)
• Facility | Location:  CCU Event Center | Lakewood, Colo. 
• All-Time Series: The Mountain Lions are 34-22 all-time against CCU.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• After CCU put the first point on the scoreboard in the opening set, Lauryn Shockley, Hannah Ammerman and Emily Ettel each registered a kill and forced CCU to commit an attack error to snag a 4-1 lead.  The Mountain Lions controlled most of the first set and led 17-11 after CCU posted a service error.  The Cougars battled back and went on an 11-1 run to retake the lead, 22-18, and roll to a 25-21 win.
• The second set mirrored the opening set but this time the Mountain Lions regained their late lead to win the set.  Leading 20-16 and coming out of a CCU timeout, the Mountain Lions lead was overtaken as CCU jumped on top, 23-21. UCCS didn't fold as Ferguson put down two straight kills followed by a kill from Shockley and the winning point from Ettel from another kill to even the match and win the set, 25-23.
• Shockley accounted for the first three points of the third set after serving two aces and adding a kill for a 3-0 lead.  Ettel set up Ferguson for a kill that gave UCCS a 7-3 lead but the Cougars scratched at UCCS' lead and tied the set, 8-8.  Both teams would tied the set eight times before CCU's Breanna Allen registered a kill that gave the Cougars a 16-15 they would not lose, taking set three, 25-19.
• The fourth set went to extra points with the Mountain Lions coming out on top, 26-24.  Shockley's kill gave UCCS a 23-22 advantage, but CCU answered with a kill from Libby Goodman followed by a block.  Down 24-23, UCCS took a timeout and came out of the break forcing CCU to commit two attack errors before Maren Burkhart sealed the win with a kill to even the match at 2-2 and send it to a fifth set.
• In the deciding set, UCCS led early but a block on the Mountain Lions broke a 5-5 tie for CCU and they would not trail again as they took the final set, 15-11.

 
MATCH STATISTICS

• Three Mountain Lions hit double digits in kills behind Shockley's team high 17 kills.  Shockley hit a solid .333 and added three aces and eight digs.
• Ammerman and Camden Strain each recorded 13 kills and combined for 17 digs.  Ferguson finished with nine kills and committed only one error on 20 attempts for a .400 attack percentage.
• Defensively, Jordyn Kinsey paced UCCS with 21 digs.  Forty-seven of UCCS' 56 assists came from Ettel, who also chipped in seven kills and eight digs.
• The Cougars were led by Libby Goodman's match high 22 kills behind a .396 hitting mark.
• UCCS was edged by the Cougars offensively as CCU tallied 67 kills and hit .278 to the Mountain Lions 65 kills and a .238 hitting mark.
• CCU separated themselves from UCCS defensively, blocking 12 attacks to the Mountain Lions three blocks.  UCCS dug up 57 attacks while CCU posted 66 digs on the night.

 
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• The Mountain Lions finished the 2021 season with an 8-17 overall record and a 5-13 mark in league matches.
• UCCS closed the regular season tied for 12^th place with Black Hills State University in the RMAC standings.
• Tonight's five-set match was the eighth time this season UCCS went to five set.  The Mountain Lions were 3-5 in five set matches.
• Five of UCCS' eight wins this season came at home.

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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.