PUEBLO, Colo. – In the first match of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference season, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs volleyball team rallied late at Colorado State University Pueblo in the third set trailing by seven points, 17-24, and rallied back to knot the match only to fall short in extra points, 25-27. The ThunderWolves swept the Mountain Lions, 3-0.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final Score: 0-3 (20-25, 19-25, 25-27)
Records: UCCS (3-5, 0-1 RMAC) | CSU Pueblo (7-2, 1-0 RMAC)
Facility | Location: Massari Arena | Pueblo, Colo.
All-Time Series: UCCS leads the all-time series, 31-27. CSUP is on a three-match winning streak against UCCS.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Both teams played the first set close as neither team led by more than three points until late in the set. With the score tied at 17-17, the Pack went on a 4-0 run to break the tie and take a 21-17 lead. CSUP would close the set with a 25-20 win after ending the set on an 8-3 run.
Both teams exchanged leads early in set two. The Mountain Lions grabbed a 4-3 lead but CSUP went on a 4-0 run to take a 7-4 lead they would not relinquish. The Pack secured the win in set two, outscoring UCCS 5-1 to end the set, 25-19 and take a 2-0 lead in the match.
The Mountain Lions rallied back strong in set three. Trailing by seven points, 17-24,
Lauryn Shockley started the comeback with a kill. A ball handling error by CSUP gave the Mountain Lions their 19
th point before
Grace Ferguson registered a kill, followed by
Camden Strain's block and a kill by
Hannah Ammerman to bring UCCS with two points, 22-24. Shockley served up an ace as Ferguson added another kill that knotted the match at 24-all. CSU Pueblo bounced back to put down a kill for a 25-24 lead before Ammerman answered with 11
th kill of the match.
With the third set tied at 25-25 and the fourth set waiting on deck, the Pack blocked a UCCS attack and forced the Mountain Lions into a hitting error to end the set and match, 27-25.
MATCH STATISTICS
Shockley (13) and Ammerman (11) combined for 24 of the Mountain Lions 39 kills. Shockley hit .370 at the net on 27 attempts and only three errors. Ferguson added five kills on eight attempts (.500 hitting percentage) and three blocks.
Abbie Boren started her third straight match as a setter, accounting for 33 set assists and a team high 10 digs.
UCCS finished the match with 38 digs, five blocks and a .198 hitting mark.
The ThunderWolves were led by Hannah Delor's 13 kills and .435 hitting mark. Milica Djukic tallied four block assists and one solo block as the Pack finished with eight blocks.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
UCCS entered tonight's match with a 13-12 record when facing the Pack on their home court. Tonight's setback is also the first road loss to open the conference season since 2018 (L, 3-1 at Colorado Christian).
UP NEXT
The Mountain Lions will return home on Friday, Sept. 17 to host Regis University at 7 p.m. The first 300 UCCS students to Friday's match will receive a free White Out t-shirt.
SOCIAL
Twitter - @GoMountainLions
Instagram - @gomountainlions
Facebook – Go Mountain Lions
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.
