THIS WEEK'S MATCHUPS

• The University of Colorado Colorado Springs volleyball team will remain at home this weekend when they play host to No. 3 Metropolitan State University Denver on Friday, Sept. 24 at 7 p.m., and Colorado Christian University the following evening at 5 p.m.

MATCH COVERAGE

• Video: https://rmacnetwork.com/gomountainlions
• Live Stats: https://gomountainlions.com/sidearmstats/wvball/summary

LAST TIME OUT

• UCCS opened the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference season last week against Colorado State University Pueblo and Regis University.  The Mountain Lions faced the ThunderWolves on the road on Tuesday (L, 3-0) and returned home to play host to the Rangers on Friday (L, 3-0). 
• UCCS was led by Hannah Ammerman's 19 kills (3.17 kills per set) and Lauryn Shockley's 18 kills (3.00 kills per set).  Abbie Boren ran the offense with 56 of the team's 61 set assists.  As a team, UCCS tallied 11.33 kills per set last week and hit .118.  The Mountain Lions blocked nine attacks behind Grace Fergusons' team high five blocks (four block assists). 

RMAC RECORD/STANDINGS

• UCCS enters the weekend owning a 3-6 overall record and are 0-2 in RMAC matches.
• MSU Denver is 8-2 overall and is one of four teams in the league to start the season 2-0 in conference matches.
• The Cougars, who will play at CSU Pueblo Friday night before playing in Gallogly Events Center on Saturday, are currently 4-6 on the season and 1-1 in league contests.

THE SERIES

• Vs. MSU Denver: The Roadrunners have a 42-6 all-time series advantage over UCCS and are on a six-match winning streak.  Five of the Mountain Lions six wins have come at home.  UCCS' last win over the Roadrunners was a sweep at home on Nov. 14, 2015.
• Vs. Colorado Christian: The Mountain Lions have won the last four matches against the Cougars (and eight of the last 11), and own a 34-20 all-time series lead with CCU.  UCCS is 17-8 when facing CCU at home.

SCOUTING REPORT

• MSUD Roadrunners: The MSU Denver volleyball team moved up from last week's No. 6 ranking and are now ranked No. 3 in the AVCA NCAA Division II national top 25 poll.  MSU Denver is on a six-match winning streak, as four of those wins have come against ranked opponents, including the top-ranked team in the nation at the time, Concordia-St. Paul, on Sept. 11.
• The Roadrunners lead the league in assists (517), digs (549) and aces (74).  Avaline Lai and Rylee Hladky are both averaging a team high 3.28 kills per set.  Lai is hitting the ball at a .360 rate while Hladky owns a .234 hitting percentage.  Setting up the Roadrunners offense is Amela Qershia (6.25 assists per set) and Jessa Megenhardt (5.75 assists per set).  The duo account for nearly 90 percent of the Roadrunners assists this season. 
• As a team, MSU Denver is blocking their opponents 2.06 times per set, the sixth most in the conference.  Mikalyla McClinton leads the defense at the net, blocking nearly one attack per set.
• CCU Cougars: Colorado Christian played their first home matches of the season last week.  CCU went down in five sets to Adams State on Tuesday but bounced back to sweep Western Colorado on Saturday.
• Libby Goodman leads the league in attacks per set, attempting 10 attacks each set.  She is putting down 3.39 kills per set with a .207 hitting mark.  Tarryn Debendetto and Madelyn Long have each served a team high 11 aces.
• After facing the Roadrunners on Friday who are blocking 2.06 attacks per set, the Mountain Lions will face CCU, a program that is fourth in the conference in blocks (2.11 blocks per set).

HOT TAKES

• Jordyn Kinsey is currently sixth in digs in the career record books.  Kinsey has accounted for 1,161 digs in four seasons, and is 245 digs shy of fifth place, held by Kim Catlett (2012-15, 1,406 digs).  She needs 651 digs to become the all-time leader at UCCS, currently owned by Andrea Weedman (2004-07) with career 1,811 digs.
• Shockley is ranked in the top five in the league in kills per set (first, 3.74), total kills (first, 131), points per set (second, 4.2), attacks per set (fourth, 9.14), and total attacks (fifth, 320).
• UCCS is in the top half of the league in several categories, including hitting percentage (fifth, .194), kills per set (fifth, 12.43), and aces per set (sixth, 1.63).

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 100^th 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 101-114 record (.474), and she has a head coaching career record of 108-137 (.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

• After a three-match home stand, the Mountain Lions will be back on the road next weekend when they travel to Adams State University on Oct. 1 and New Mexico Highlands University on Oct. 2.  Both matches will begin at 7 p.m.

SOCIAL

• Twitter - @GoMountainLions
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• 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.