Box Score CHADRON, Neb. – Dropping the first two sets on the road to Chadron State College, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs volleyball team stormed back to earn a five-set win Friday night in Chadron, Neb.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP

• Final Score:  W, 3-2 (20-25, 21-25, 25-21, 25-22, 15-9)
• Records: UCCS (8-7, 3-2 RMAC) | CSC (4-11, 0-5 RMAC)
• Facility | Location: Chicoine Center | Chadron, Neb.
• All-Time Series: The Mountain Lions are 29-13 all-time against the Eagles, including a 15-2 record on their home court.  UCCS has tallied wins in seven of their last eight matches over CSC.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Returning back to conference action after a week of RMAC Regional Pods, the Mountain Lions suffered a 25-20 setback in tonight's opening set.  Chadron State took an early 7-2 lead and never looked back as they led the entire set.  UCCS accounted for 12 kills, three blocks and 11 assists but were unable to slow down the Eagles.
• The Mountain Lions played the Eagles closer in set two which featured 10 scoring ties and five lead changes.  Tied at 21-21, the Eagles forced UCCS to commit four straight attacking errors to end the set in favor of the home team, 25-21.
• The black and gold rebounded in the third set and held the lead for the majority of the set.  After back-to-back kills from Payton Tompkins gave the Mountain Lions their largest lead of the night, 20-13, the Eagles clawed back and went on a 5-1 to run to cut into UCCS' lead, 24-21, before an Audrey Dowd to Sydnee Walker connection on an attack kill put the set away, 25-21.
• The Eagles slowed down the Mountain Lions' momentum in the fourth set and were holding onto a five-point lead late in the set, 17-12, before an epic 13-5 run gave the Mountain Lions the win, 25-22 and tied the match at 2-2.  UCCS used seven kills and the aid of four Eagles errors to push them past the home team.  Emily Pruitt sealed the win with back-to-back aces for the final two points.
• A 9-3 run in the middle of the fifth and final set broke a 4-4 tie and gave UCCS a 13-7 lead as they cruised to the set win, 15-9, and the match win 3-2.

                       
MATCH STATISTICS

• Three Mountain Lions recorded double-digit kills behind Pruitt's match high 16 kills.  She added a match high four aces and chipped in nine digs and three block assists.
• Tompkins notched 14 kills and 20 digs while assisting on one block.  Walker also put down 14 kills and hit .224 with two assists and 18 digs.
• Dowd accounted for 46 of the team's 59 set assists while also digging up 15 attacks.
• Patrolling the back row was Ransom who posted a team high 23 digs and added six set assists.
• UCCS hit .207 as a team with 62 kills and 59 assists. Defensively, the Mountain Lions blocked nine attacks and dug up 99.
• Chadron State collected 55 kills, six blocks, nine aces and 96 digs.

 
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• UCCS improves to 3-1 in five set matches this season.
• Several Mountain Lions set career highs tonight, including Avery Ahlers (15 attacks), Dowd (46 assists, 15 digs), and Pruitt (four aces).
• Tying their career highs tonight were Rylee Pitts (four blocks), Ransom (23 digs), Tompkins (20 digs) and Walker (14 kills).
• The 99 team digs tonight are a season high as Ransom's 23 digs are an individual season high.  The 99 digs are also the fourth most by an RMAC team this fall.

 
UP NEXT

• The Mountain Lions will close out the weekend tomorrow at Colorado Christian University.  First serve goes out at 5 p.m.

 
SOCIAL
X – @GoMountainLions
Instagram – @gomountainlions
Facebook – /GoMountainLions
 
For everything UCCS Athletics, follow the Mountain Lions on social media and stay tuned to gomountainlions.com.
 
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.