PUEBLO, Colo. – In the first of two Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Regional Pod non-conference matches this week, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs volleyball team fell Tuesday night in Pueblo, Colo. to Colorado State University Pueblo, 3-0.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
- Final Score: L, 0-3 (20-25, 19-25,15-25)
- Records: UCCS (7-5, 2-2 RMAC) | CSUP (9-3, 4-0 RMAC)
- Facility | Location: Massari Arena | Pueblo, Colo.
- All-Time Series: The ThunderWolves hold a slight edge over UCCS, 33-31, in the all-time series.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- In the first half of the opening set, both teams played each other closely as neither team led by more than three points and the set tied eight times. An ace from CSU Pueblo's Megan Mattingly broke a 14-14 tie as the home team capped off an 8-0 run to take a 19-14 lead. The Mountain Lions regrouped after calling a timeout and Maylen Mitrovich's ace brought UCCS within two points, 21-19, but the ThunderWolves finished the set scoring four of the last five points to take set one, 25-20.
- The Mountain Lions came out firing to start the second set, using an early 5-0 run to snag a 6-2 lead. Avery Ahlers and Emily Pruitt chipped in a kill and Ahlers added a solo block while the Pack committed two errors to give UCCS the early lead. A Mitrovich to Michelle Fredrick connection kept the Mountain Lions ahead of the blue and red, 10-6, but a snappy 6-2 run by CSUP knotted the set at 12-12. Sydnee Walker put down a kill to tie the set again at 16-all, but the Pack broke open for a 7-0 run to take a 23-16 lead and eventually close out the set, 25-19.
- The ThunderWolves kept their momentum going in the third set, taking a comfortable 10-4 lead. UCCS responded however, with an 8-4 run highlighted by two kills and a block from Payton Tompkins, an ace from Danielle Varela and a kill from Walker to deplete the Pack's lead down to 14-12. The home team regained control to outscore UCCS, 11-3, to close out the set, 25-15.
MATCH STATISTICS
- Tompkins and Pruitt paced the team with eight and seven kills, respectively.
- Audrey Dowd accounted for 13 of UCCS' 24 assists as Mitrovich added eight assists.
- Walker dug up a team high eight digs to go with her four kills.
- The Mountain Lions hit .137 at the net behind 27 kills and chipped in two aces, 32 digs and three blocks.
- The ThunderWolves had three players with double digit kills behind Kaitlyn Hall's match high 11 kills.
- CSUP posted 38 digs, four blocks, 40 assists, nine aces and 42 kills in the sweep.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- The Mountain Lions are 1-4 in three-set matches this season.
- Tonight's match marked the eighth time in the last nine matches UCCS has played away from Gallogly Events Center.
UP NEXT
- UCCS will travel to Regis University to face the Rangers for the second time in a week. Saturday's 3 p.m. match at Regis Fieldhouse is slated as a non-conference match.
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As a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs competes in 14 varsity sports in NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics.
