COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs volleyball fought the No. 5 ranked MSU Denver volleyball team to a competitive four sets before falling short, 3-1.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
- Final Score: L, 3-1 (22-25, 16-25, 26-24, 22-25)
- Records: UCCS (10-14, 4-8 RMAC) | MSUD (22-2, 12-0 RMAC)
- Facility | Location: Gallogly Events Center | Colorado Springs, Colo.
- All-Time Series: With the win tonight, the Roadrunners own a 48-6 overall record versus the Mountain Lions since 1990.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Mountain Lions came out aggressively on Tuesday night, opening to an 8-7 lead with Emily Pruitt, Rylee Pitts, and Sydnee Walker each recording kills. The Roadrunners replied swiftly with a 7-3 run to take an early three-point lead (14-11). UCCS played evenly with MSU Denver and would even things at 18 after Audrey Dowd connected with Payton Tompkins for a kill. The Roadrunners retook control and closed set one on a 7-4 run, opening with a 1-0 lead in the match.
- The Mountain Lions moved on quickly and attacked set two with poise. They opened with a 7-3 lead, forcing an MSU Denver timeout. The break in action benefited the Roadrunners as they exploded to a 9-0 run, taking a five-point lead (12-7). The Mountain Lions brought their deficit within three (14-11) but were blown past for the remainder of the set, losing 25-16.
- UCCS kept a short memory and opened set three with another 7-3 run. The Mountain Lions held onto their lead this time, growing it to five (16-11). MSU Denver fought back and would reclaim the lead at 23-22. Back-to-back kills from Maylen Mitrovich and Pitts gave UCCS a one-point advantage (24-23), but the Roadrunners would even things up a point later. The Mountain Lions then captured their lone winning set after an MSU Denver service error and a kill from Avery Ahlers, making the match 2-1 after a 26-24 win in set three.
- The two teams battled to start set four, but the Roadrunners would claim a 13-9 lead early. The Mountain Lions would then catch a break after five straight attack errors from MSU Denver, giving UCCS a 14-13 lead. The Mountain Lions would hold a one-point lead a few points later (18-17), but the Roadrunners would reply to a 5-1 run and take a comfortable 22-19 advantage. MSU Denver would close it out from there, winning 25-22, and finishing the match 3-1.
MATCH STATISTICS
- UCCS saw a total of 48 kills in tonight's loss, with Tompkins (13), Pruitt (10), and Pitts (six) leading the way. Avery Keim, Mitrovich, and Walker each added five, while Michelle Fredrick and Ahlers tallied two kills each.
- Mackenzie Ransom, Mitrovich, and Tompkins all did their job on the defensive end, recording 25, 13, and 10 digs, respectively.
- MSU Denver bested UCCS in hit percentage (.205-.155), kills (61-48), aces (4-2), blocks (13-9), assists (56-45), and digs (76-71).
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Ransom's 25 digs in tonight's match mark a season and career high in a four-set match for the UCCS libero.
- Keim's five kills mark a new season and career high for the freshman outside hitter.
- Tonight's set-three win for the Mountain Lions was their first win in a set over MSU Denver since 2019. The last time UCCS won a set over the Roadrunners came on Nov. 1, 2019, when they lost in four sets at home.
- The Roadrunners have defeated the Mountain Lions in their last 12 meetings dating back to Nov. 17, 2015. UCCS' last win over MSU Denver came three days prior, on Nov. 14, 2015, sweeping the Roadrunners at home.
UP NEXT
- The Mountain Lions will look to bounce back on Friday, Nov. 15, when they take on Colorado State University Pueblo at 6 p.m. at the Gallogly Events Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.
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.
