THIS WEEK'S MATCHUPS
- The 2021 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference season begins tonight for the University of Colorado Colorado Springs volleyball team as the Mountain Lions head to Colorado State University Pueblo for a 7 p.m. match inside Massari Arena. Tonight's match is also the first league match for the ThunderWolves. UCCS will return home Friday night to host Regis University at 7 p.m. in the annual White Out Night.
MATCH COVERAGE
LAST TIME OUT
- The Mountain Lions hosted the 2021 UCCS Mountain Lion Classic in Gallogly Events Center on Sept. 10-11. UCCS went 2-1 overall, earning a five-set win over Texas A&M-International to open the weekend, before posting a win in four sets against William Jewell Friday night, avenging a loss to the Cardinals in the opening weekend of the season. The weekend was capped with the Mountain Lions going the distance against Lubbock Christian University, but falling in five to the Chaps
- The Mountain Lions set several match highs for the season as team this past weekend, including most kills (72 vs. TAMI), total attempts (181 vs. LCU), assists (66 vs. TAMI), digs (59 vs. LCU) and blocks (eight vs. LCU).
RMAC RECORD/STANDINGS
- The Mountain Lions are 3-4 overall after two weekends of non-conference action and have won two of their last three matches.
THE SERIES
- Vs. CSUP: The Mountain Lions lead the all-time series against Colorado State Pueblo, 31-26. UCCS is 13-12 when facing the Pack on their home court. The Mountain Lions have taken four of the past six matches against CSUP, but the Pack have won the last two meetings.
- Vs. RU: Regis owns a 41-7 series record against the Mountain Lions and have won the last seven matches. Five of the Mountain Lions seven wins have come on their home court, where they are 5-19 all-time against Regis. UCCS last defeated the Rangers, 3-1, at UCCS on Sept. 17, 2016, exactly five years from this year's home match.
SCOUTING REPORT
- CSUP ThunderWolves: Colorado State Pueblo started the 2021 season red hot, winning their first six matches, including their first four at home. CSUP travelled to Fairbanks, Alaska this past weekend where they went 2-2, falling in their last two matches to Alaska-Fairbanks (L, 3-0) and California State University-Los Angeles (L, 3-1).
- CSU Pueblo (6-2 overall, 0-0 RMAC) is led by Hannah Delor and Jazzy Espinoza. Delor leads the RMAC in aces (18) while Espinoza has blocked a league high 34 attacks. As a team, CSUP is on top of the league in aces per set (2.10), blocks per set (2.48), opponent hitting percentage (.138) and total blocks (72).
- RU Rangers: The Rangers enter the weekend with a 5-3 overall record and they are on a three-match winning streak after defeating Lynn (W, 3-0), No. 5 Lewis (W, 3-1) and Rockhurst (W, 3-0) at the Colorado Premier Challenge. The Rangers will play their first match of the conference season on Thursday against Colorado School of Mines.
- The Rangers are led by Rachel Siurek's 2.8 kills per set while teammate Nadine Burbrink is a dual threat at the net with 1.06 blocks per set and 2.03 kills per set. Pacing the offense is Mara LeGrand who has tallied 9.87 assists per set. LeGrand is also the defensive leader for the Rangers with 3.90 digs per set.
HOT TAKES
- Lauryn Shockley averaged 4.64 kills per set in three home matches last weekend and hit the ball at a .308 clip. She registered a career high 23 kills in the first match of the weekend against Texas A&M-International and followed that performance with another career high for most kills in a match when she put down 26 Saturday night against Lubbock Christian.
- Setter Abbie Boren saw her first action as a Mountain Lion this past weekend. Boren quarterbacked the UCCS offense, averaging 11.71 assists per set and helping UCCS hit .252 as a team with 202 kills. She added a career high 59 set assists in a five-set win over the DustDevils on Friday.
- Grace Ferguson blocked nine attacks on the weekend, including a career high seven blocks against LCU (six block assists).
- Newcomer Camden Strain put down a career high 18 kills on a career high 33 attempts Friday night to help UCCS to a 3-1 win over William Jewell.
- Shockley leads the RMAC in kills per set (3.90), total kills (113) and points per set (4.34), and she is fourth in the league in attacks per set (9.31) and total attacks (270).
- As a team, the Mountain Lions rank in the top five in the RMAC in assists per set (fourth, 11.34), hitting percentage (fourth, .211) and kills per set (fourth, 12.6).
UCCS UNDER HEAD COACH CHRISSY ELDER
- Chrissy Elder is in her ninth season as the Head Coach for the University of Colorado Colorado Springs volleyball program in 2021 after seven consecutive RMAC Tournament appearances for the Mountain Lions.
- Elder won her 100th match as head coach of the Mountain Lions, accomplishing the feat in a 3-2 home win over Texas A&M International on Friday, Sept. 10. In nine seasons at UCCS, Elder owns a 101-112 record (.474), and she has a head coaching career record of 108-135 (.444) over 10 seasons.
ADMISSION AT UCCS HOME MATCHES
- General admission tickets will be available one hour before game time (cash only).
- Ticket Prices:
- Adults: $10
- Non-UCCS students (with student ID), children ages 13-17: $5
- Military members, seniors (age 55+): $3
- UCCS faculty, staff, students (with ID), children ages 0-12, UCCS Alumni Association members: Free
- Masks are required at all times indoors.
FACE COVERINGS
- Per campus policy, all students, faculty, staff and visitors on the UCCS campus are REQUIRED to wear a face covering while indoors, regardless of vaccination status.
UPCOMING MATCHES
- UCCS will remain at home this weekend to play host to Regis University on Friday, Sept. 17 at 7 p.m. in the annual White Out night. The first 300 UCCS students to the 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.
