DURANGO, Colo. – Playing in their final road match of the regular season, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs volleyball team snagged a 2-0 set lead at Fort Lewis College Saturday night, but the Skyhawks prevailed, handing the Mountain Lions a 3-2 setback.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
- Final Score: L, 3-2 (25-21, 25-16, 23-25, 21-25, 10-15)
- Records: UCCS (9-11, 4-6 RMAC) | FLC (9-12, 5-6 RMAC)
- Facility | Location: Whalen Gymnasium | Durango, Colo.
- All-Time Series: UCCS moves to 29-26 all-time against the Skyhawks, and 13-11 when competing against FLC on their home court.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The opening set saw three scoring ties in the first eight rallies of the evening. Rylee Pitts put down a kill to tie the match at 4-4 that sparked five straight points for the Mountain Lions. Maylen Mitrovich, who served all five points, added two aces in the mix of two FLC errors before Pitts capped off the 6-0 run with a kill that gave UCCS a 9-4 lead. The five-point advantage dissolved as the home team went on an 8-1 run of their own that featured three aces and four kills. With the Mountain Lions trailing 21-17, the black and gold made a massive comeback to score the final eight points of the set. Mitrovich started the comeback with a kill followed by an attacking error on FLC and then a block from Payton Tompkins and Avery Ahlers. A Pitts ace tied the set at 21-21 before Tompkins put down a kill to force FLC to call a timeout. Out of the break, Pitts added another ace that was preceded by a Fort Lewis error. Tompkins put the set away with a kill to give UCCS the 25-21 set win.
- The second stanza started with both teams matching each other's points with five ties in the opening action. Tompkins kill broke a 7-7 tie and catapulted UCCS on a 7-1 run that pushed the Mountain Lions lead to 14-8. Audrey Dowd calculated one of her assists to Sydnee Walker who threw it down, giving the black and gold a comfortable 18-11 lead. The Mountain Lions cruised to the second set win, 25-19 as they accounted for 16 kills, four blocks and hit a respectable .303.
- Fort Lewis prevented the Mountain Lions from sweeping the home team after winning the third set, 25-23. In another tightly contested set, neither team led by more than three points. The Mountain Lions, who tallied 15 kills and hit .209 at the net, tied the set at 24-24 with a kill that landed well in-bounds, but the Skyhawks challenged a call at the net and won the challenge, reversing the score in favor of FLC, 25-23.
- Fort Lewis evened the match at two sets apiece after taking the fourth set, 25-21. FLC edged the Mountain Lions in kills, 17-12 and attack percentage, .300 vs. .205, but UCCS held the advantage in blocks, accumulating five blocks to FLC's one.
- The Mountain Lions took a decisive 5-1 lead in the fifth and final set Saturday night. Pitts and Tompkins teamed up to block a Skyhawks attack before Pitts added a kill and then served an ace to help UCCS to a four-point lead. Tompkins second kill of the set pushed UCCS' lead back to four, 6-2, but a 10-2 run by the blue and yellow gave the Skyhawks a 12-8 lead they would not relinquish, taking the set, 15-10, and the match, 3-2.
MATCH STATISTICS
- Pitts notched 16 kills and hit a solid .314 at the net to go with four aces. She also caused havoc on defense, registering a solo block and assisting on eight more blocks.
- Tompkins chipped in 15 kills with four blocks assists as Emily Pruitt tallied 13 kills, a .235 hitting mark and two block assists.
- Audrey Dowd quarterbacked an offense with 32 assists while Mitrovich added 18 assists and two kills.
- Ransom led both teams with 20 digs and chipped in three assists and a kill.
- The Mountain Lions finished the match with 61 kills, a .221 attack percentage, 56 assists, seven aces, 12 blocks and 65 digs.
- Fort Lewis had four players with at least 13 kills as they finished the night with 67 kills, six aces, seven blocks and 73 digs.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- UCCS moves to 3-2 in five set matches this season.
- The Mountain Lions close the regular season with a 2-8 road record.
- Pitts had a career night with 16 kills, 35 attacks, four aces, and nine blocks.
- Tompkins' and Walker's four blocks on the night set new career highs.
UP NEXT
- UCCS will play their final six matches of the regular season inside Gallogly Events Center, beginning this Thursday, Oct. 31 against Adams State University at 6 p.m.
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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.
