DENVER, Colo. – Facing Metropolitan State University of Denver for the second time this season, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs volleyball team was unable to claim the non-conference win in the Auraria Event Center in Denver. The Mountain Lions fell to the Roadrunners Thursday night in three sets as part of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Power Pod.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
- Final Score: L, 0-3 (22-25, 19-25, 24-26)
- Records: UCCS (13-8, 8-2 RMAC) | MSUD (15-6, 9-1 RMAC)
- Facility | Location: Auraria Event Center | Denver, Colo.
- All-Time Series: MSU Denver leads the all-time series against UCCS, 52-6.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Starting the evening in a 2-0 hole, Payton Tompkins got UCCS on the board with a kill to spark a 4-0 run. Two MSU Denver errors followed before Alysse Marcoso capped the run with an ace to give the Mountain Lions a 4-2 lead. After the Roadrunners tied the set at 7-7, a service error put UCCS back in front, but MSU Denver answered with a 4-2 run to take an 11-10 lead. The Roadrunners then scored four of the next five points to build a 15-12 advantage at the media timeout. Out of the break, Aubrey Miller connected with Sydnee Walker and Sydney Hyde to pull UCCS within two at 16-14. Two consecutive MSU Denver kills prompted UCCS head coach Tara Hittle to call timeout, and the Mountain Lions responded by taking four of the next six points. Facing set point at 24-20, Hyde delivered back-to-back kills to keep UCCS alive, but a service error gave the Roadrunners the 25-22 win.
- An MSU Denver attacking error gave UCCS the opening point of the second set, but the Roadrunners quickly seized control with eight straight points, including four kills and two aces, to take an 8-1 lead. Trailing 11-3, UCCS began to find its rhythm as Tompkins, Walker and Karlee Pinell combined for four points to cut the deficit to 15-9. MSU Denver maintained its advantage and led 17-9 before UCCS used its second timeout of the set. Miller then set up Tompkins for consecutive kills to bring the Mountain Lions within six at 17-11, but the Roadrunners held on for a 25-19 victory.
- Tompkins opened the third set with a solo block, but MSU Denver answered by taking five of the next seven points to build a 5-3 lead. Miller then found Nicole Himebauch for a kill to pull UCCS within one at 5-4. The Mountain Lions continued to battle for the lead, but trailed 13-10 before Tompkins and Himebauch teamed up for a block. Tompkins followed with an ace, and an MSU Denver error knotted the set at 13-13. Another Tompkins ace put UCCS back in front, 14-13, before Walker's kill sent the Mountain Lions into the media timeout with a 15-14 advantage.
- After MSU Denver used a 5-3 run to take a 20-17 lead, a Roadrunners service error sparked a UCCS response. Walker then set up Miller for a kill, followed by another MSU Denver service error to cut the deficit to 20-19. Himebauch powered a Mountain Lions' comeback, recording four kills to help UCCS take a 24-23 lead and force an MSU Denver timeout. The Roadrunners answered with back-to-back kills from Kamdyn Scott and Haden Liesbsack before an attacking error by UCCS gave MSU Denver a 26-24 win and the match victory.
MATCH STATISTICS
- Tompkins posted a match high 12 kills and hit .312 at the net to go with eight digs, two aces and 1.5 blocks.
- Himebauch also reached double-digit kills, putting down 10 kills on 25 attempts to hit .320 on the night.
- Miller accounted for 21 of UCCS' 37 set assists, and she added seven digs.
- Marcos paced the back line with a team high 10 digs.
- UCCS finished the match hitting .223 at the net behind 39 kills on 112 attempts.
- The Roadrunners were led by Liebsack's 12 kills as MSU Denver finished the night hitting .290 with 46 kills.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Tompkins moved to seventh on the all-time kills list tonight, accounting for 1,038 career kills. She also moved into the top-10 in the career record books in points (1,180).
- Addison Humphrey posted her first career ace.
- Tonight's sweep is the first time UCCS has been swept in back-to-back matches.
UP NEXT
- The Mountain Lions will return to the Auraria Event Center tomorrow night to take on Colorado State University Pueblo in another RMAC Power Pod non-conference match. First serve goes out 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.
