COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs volleyball team finished with a season-best 77 digs in a 3-1 victory over South Dakota Mines on Friday evening.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
- Final Score: W, 3-1 (25-15, 15-25, 25-23, 25-21)
- Records: UCCS (13-2, 5-1 RMAC) | SDM (4-11, 2-3 RMAC)
- Facility | Location: Gallogly Events Center | Colorado Springs, Colo.
- All-Time Series: The Mountain Lions move to 11-4 all-time against the Hardrockers after Friday's match.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Mountain Lions got off to a hot start to open Friday night's match against South Dakota Mines, taking an early 7-2 lead, featuring kills from Michelle Fredrick and Payton Tompkins. SDM struggled on the attack, tallying a .000 hitting percentage with nine attack errors in the first set. After taking the early lead, UCCS would hold a lead of no less than three for the rest of the set, claiming a 25-15 victory.
- The second set was completely opposite of the first, as the Hardrockers were the ones to jump out in front and hold a lead. The Mountain Lions posted a -.088 hitting percentage while committing 12 total errors as SDM pulled away to take set two, 25-15.
- The third set was much more competitive than the first two, as it featured 13 tied scores, and four lead changes. The UCCS attack came alive, as the team notched 17 kills with Tompkins leading the pack with five, followed by Nicole Martin and Sydnee Walker with four apiece. The final tied score came at the end of the hard-fought set when it landed at 22-22. The next two points came from kills by Martin before Walker ended it with a kill herself to win the third, 25-23.
- UCCS fell to an early deficit in the fourth set, as the team found itself down 7-3. The Mountain Lions would take the next four points with two kills from Sydney Hyde, and one from Walker to tie the score. UCCS would eventually take a 9-8 lead and hold onto it, despite the Hardrockers staying close behind, as the Mountain Lions won the match with a 25-21 third set victory.
MATCH STATISTICS
- The Mountain Lions had two players tally double digit kills, being Tompkins with the team-leading 13, and Sydnee Walker with 12.
- Maylen Mitrovich was the team leader with 19 digs, as Tompkins (14) and Mackenzie Ransom (13) also finished in double digits.
- Audrey Dowd led the team with 22 assists, as Maylen Mitrovich tallied 15 of her own.
- UCCS led the match in kills (51 to 43), assists (50 to 43), digs (77 to 60), and hitting percentage (.166 to .140).
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- UCCS snapped a two-match losing streak to South Dakota Mines on Friday, with their last win coming on September 14, 2023.
- The Mountain Lions tallied a season high in digs on Friday, finishing with 77.
- UCCS is now 3-0 in a four-set match during the 2025 campaign.
- Mitrovich tallied a season high 19 digs on Friday.
- The Mountain Lions' 12 blocks were the second most they have finished with in a match this season.
- UCCS had 145 total attacks during Friday night's match, being the second most of the season.
UP NEXT
- The Mountain Lions will stay home to take on Black Hills State on Saturday, October 11, with the match scheduled to begin at 3:00 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.
