GOLDEN, Colo. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs volleyball team, the defending Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference champions, opened the league season with a 3-0 sweep of Colorado School of Mines on Friday night at Lockridge Arena. The Mountain Lions won the three sets, 27-25, 27-25 and 25-21, to improve to 5-4 overall and 1-0 in RMAC play.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
- Final Score: W, 3-0 (27-25, 27-25, 25-21)
- Records: UCCS (5-4, 1-0 RMAC) | CSM (7-2, 1-0 RMAC)
- Facility | Location: CSM Lockridge Arena | Golden, Colo.
- All-Time Series: The Mountain Lions improve to 28-32 all-time against the Orediggers, and 12-16 when playing Mines on their home court.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- UCCS and Mines traded points throughout the opening set, which featured 16 ties and seven lead changes. Mines took a 17-13 lead before the Mountain Lions scored five straight points to move in front, 18-17. UCCS later trailed 24-22 before tying the set at 24-24 on a Mines service error and a kill from Payton Tompkins. Tompkins and Nicole Himebauch then teamed up for a block to give UCCS a 25-24 advantage. After Mines tied the set at 25-25, an attack error by Kaiya Gilbert and a kill from Tompkins gave the Mountain Lions the 27-25 victory.
- The second set was tied at 10-10 before Mines built a 17-12 lead. UCCS answered with three straight points, including a kill from Sydni Lafasciano, to cut the deficit to 17-13. The Mountain Lions continued to close the gap and used a pair of kills from Sydney Hyde to pull within 20-17. UCCS eventually tied the set at 23-23 following an attack error by Mines and a kill from Sydnee Walker. Tompkins followed with a kill to give the Mountain Lions set point at 24-23, and Himebauch put UCCS ahead 26-25 with a kill before another Mines attack error gave UCCS the 27-25 win.
- UCCS held an early 3-2 lead before Mines moved in front, 7-5. The Mountain Lions battled back and used kills from Lafasciano, Hyde and Tompkins to remain within striking distance. UCCS tied the set at 19-19 on back-to-back Tompkins kills before taking a 21-20 lead following a Mines attack error. Himebauch then recorded a kill and a service ace, while Lafasciano added a kill, as UCCS closed the match with five of the final six points to secure the 25-21 victory.
MATCH STATISTICS
- Tompkins led the Mountain Lions with 17 kills while hitting .385 and added 16 digs.
- Lafasciano finished with nine kills and eight digs, while Himebauch recorded seven kills and Hyde added six.
- Aubrey Miller recorded 22 assists, while Charlette Albers finished with 19 assists. Alysse Marcoso led UCCS defensively with 22 digs.
- As a team, UCCS recorded 47 kills and eight total blocks while hitting .279. Mines finished with 55 kills and seven blocks while hitting .301.
- UCCS held Mines to a .167 hitting percentage in the second set before closing the match with a .308 hitting percentage in the third set.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Tonight's win is the first time in 14 years UCCS has defeated Mines in Golden, Colo. (W, 3-0 on Sept. 5, 2012).
- The Mountain Lions posted several team highs tonight, including best hitting percentage (.279), and most kills (47) and assists (44) in a three-set match.
- Tompkins' 17 kills and 19 points marked UCCS individual season highs.
- Albers recorded a new career high in digs (10).
- Tonight's 3-0 win is UCCS' first sweep of the season.
UP NEXT
- UCCS will return home to play three matches next week inside Gallogly Events Center. The Mountain Lions will kick off the week on Tuesday with a 6 p.m. match against No. 18 Metropolitan State University of Denver.
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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.
