DENVER, Colo. – Facing Regis University on their home court for the second time 10 days, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs volleyball team was unable to claim a non-conference win as the Mountain Lions fell to the Rangers in a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Regional Pod non-conference match, 3-1.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
- Final Score: L, 1-3 (18-25, 15-25, 25-22, 19-25)
- Records: UCCS (7-7, 2-2 RMAC) | Regis (7-7, 3-1 RMAC)
- Facility | Location: Regis Fieldhouse | Denver, Colo.
- All-Time Series: UCCS moves to 7-49 all-time against Regis, and 2-26 when facing the Rangers on their home court.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Avery Ahlers put the Mountain Lions on the scoreboard for the first point of the afternoon with a kill that was quickly erased by a 5-0 run by the home team. UCCS stopped the Rangers run and responded with a 7-1 run of their own that was highlighted by three kills and a block assist by Rylee Pitts to put UCCS back on top, 9-7. The two teams continued to match each other's offensive output, but after a Pitts kill from Audrey Dowd knotted the match at 15-all, the Rangers closed the set outscoring UCCS, 10-3, to take a 25-18 opening set win.
- The Rangers took a 2-0 lead with a 25-15 second set win. The home team held the black and gold to eight kills and a -.057 hitting percentage. On the opposite side of the net, Regis tallied 12 kills, seven blocks and hit a solid. 241.
- Down 2-0 in the match, the Mountain Lions regrouped in the third set to take the win, 25-22, and force set four. An attack error by Regis started the set and gave UCCS a 1-0 lead that they would never lose. Kills from Sydnee Walker and Pitts and an ace from Maylen Mitrovich helped push the lead to 6-2. The Rangers, who were never able to tie the set, came within one point of UCCS, 19-18, but kills from Payton Tompkins and Mitrovich, two Regis errors and a block from Danielle Varela closed the set and gave UCCS a 25-22 victory.
- After dropping the third set, Regis responded and controlled the fourth set early on, taking a 7-3 lead. Trailing by six points, 12-6, UCCS battled back on a 6-0 run that was led by Pruitt's two kills and block solo to even the set, 12-12. Two rallies later and tied again at 13-13, the Rangers pulled away on an 8-1 run that gave them a 21-14 advantage and the eventual set and match win, 25-19.
MATCH STATISTICS
- Pitts led UCCS with eight kills and assisted on three blocks.
- Michelle Fredrick collected five kills and did not commit an attacking error on 15 attempts for a .333 hitting percentage.
- Dowd and Mitrovich quarterbacked the offense behind 22 and 13 assists, respectively. Mitrovich chipped in six digs, an ace and a kill as Mackenzie Ransom dug up a team high 22 attacks.
- The Mountain Lions finished the set with 41 kills, a .057 attacking mark, 36 assists, four aces, 61 digs and eight blocks.
- Halle Theis threw down a match high 17 kills while her teammate Braiziah Dixon added 12 kills and hit .500 at the net.
- The Rangers, who hit .225 behind 57 kills, blocked 24 UCCS attacks and dug up 70.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- UCCS is 2-2 in four-set matches this season.
- Ransom set a new season high with most digs in a match (22).
- Avrey Keim tallied a career high three kills.
- Varela tied a career high this afternoon with four blocks and added a new career high .400 hitting percentage.
UP NEXT
- The Mountain Lions hit the road again next weekend and return to conference action when they travel to Chadron State College on Friday for a 6 p.m. 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.
