Over the weekend, UCCS Volleyball ended their annual White Out Night against Adams State and the Alumni Day match against New Mexico Highlands University with back-to-back wins.
After the two wins, the Mountain Lions’ season record is now 7-7 and 2-4 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.
UCCS continues streak vs. Adams State, wins White Out match
The Sept. 23 White Out match was a re-match against the Adams State Grizzlies, whom the UCCS Volleyball team beat at the LCU Chap Classic earlier this month.
The Mountain Lions took control for the entire first set thanks to kills from senior outside hitter Hannah Ammerman and redshirt sophomore outside hitter Raegen Emery, mounting a 12-point lead halfway through the set, 16-4. UCCS held their lead until the end of the set, winning 25-11.
Set two began with both teams exchanging leads with the Grizzlies leading early, 5-4.
A kill by senior middle blocker Julia Geiger more than halfway into the set put UCCS up 16-14. The Grizzlies came close, cutting the lead to one point, 17-18, but never came back. Emery’s game winning kill capped off a four-point 25-21 win in the second set.
The Grizzlies set the tone in the third set with an early 5-0 lead thanks to several errors by UCCS. The Mountain Lions were never within three points or less for the rest of the set.
UCCS fell 25-20 in the set, still leading the match 2-1.
The Mountain Lions began the fourth and final set by returning the favor to the Grizzlies with a three-point lead thanks to a pair of kills from junior middle blocker Nicole Medlin and sophomore right side Tori Perduk and a bad set by the Grizzlies.
The Grizzlies came back with four straight kills later, leading by one point 6-5, their only lead for the set.
Several Mountain Lions including Geiger, Emery, Ammerman and Medlin put UCCS on top as the team led 15-10 later in the set. The lead increased throughout with the largest lead being 22-10 in favor of UCCS.
The Mountain Lions won the set, 25-15, and the match, 3-1.
Emery led the Mountain Lions with a match-high 14 kills while Ammerman followed with 13 and Medlin close behind with 11. The team’s attack percentage of .348 was the second highest in school history for a four-set match.
Mountain Lions blow out Cowgirls on Alumni Night
After the win against the Grizzles, UCCS played the New Mexico Highlands Cowgirls for Alumni Day on Sept. 24.
In the first set, kills from Perduk, Geiger and Emery helped the Mountain Lions take a 9-3 lead. The Cowgirls cut the lead within two points halfway through the set, 14-16.
But the Mountain Lions’ defense only allowed six more points while their offense scored nine more, winning the set, 25-20.
UCCS carried the momentum and scored six unanswered points to start the second set, as errors and kills helped the team keep their distance from the Cowgirls.
Halfway into the set, the Cowgirls brought the Mountain Lion lead to within three points. A kill from Ammerman brought it back to four. The rest of the set stayed close between the two teams with a tie towards the end, 21-21.
Ammerman ended the set with a kill to help UCCS win and take a commanding two-set lead, 25-22.
In the third and final set, UCCS maintained a narrow lead of about two points throughout. The Mountain Lions found a 15-11 lead in the middle of the set thanks to a kill from redshirt freshman setter Reilly Babcock.
Late into the set, the Mountain Lions and Cowgirls were tied, 24-24. After a service ace from the Cowgirls to take the lead, the Mountain Lions responded with three unanswered points including kills from Ammerman and Emery. UCCS won the set, 27-25, and the match, 3-0.
After the match, Babcock now leads the RMAC with 27 service aces. Emery posted another match-high with 11 kills. Medlin recorded a match-high six block assists, eight kills and one dig.
The match was the team’s first three set win in conference play and fourth shutout of the season.
The Mountain Lions will travel to CSU Pueblo on Tuesday, Sept. 27, for their second meeting this season.
