PUEBLO, Colo. – Avery Burkholder (Jr., Helotes, Texas) and Tori Gaherty (Jr., Colorado Springs, Colo.) both had career-best performances as the Western State Colorado University women's volleyball team dropped two games against Lonestar Conference members Texas Women's College (25-17, 25-21, 25-18) and Eastern New Mexico University (17-25, 25-21, 25-20, 25-22). The Mountaineers hope to find redemption when they take on Tarleton State (9 a.m.) and Washburn University (4:30 p.m.) tomorrow in the CSU-Pueblo/UCCS Steel and Silver Classic.
 
Burkholder led the Mountaineers with a career-best 11 kills, hitting .550 without an error against Texas Women's. The junior also added four blocks and digs. Jordan Eatwell (So., Fruita, Colo.) and Molly Hothan (Jr., Ozawkie, Kan.) each contributed seven kills, while Gaherty chipped in five.
 
In the second match, Gaherty had a career-best 15 kills while also adding nine digs. Eatwell added eight kills and three blocks, while Hothan had six kills and a .600 hitting percentage.
 
Allison Walker (Jr., Aurora, Colo.) had 34 assists in both matches, while Amanda Maestas (Jr., Aurora, Colo.) had a combined 35 digs.
 
The Mountaineers played both matches close, outhitting their opponents 80 kills to 66. Long runs and errors haunted Western, who allowed four runs of five or more points.