GUNNISON, Colo. – Western State Colorado University fell at home to Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference foe CSU-Pueblo in a close three-straight sets (25-22, 25-23, 25-16) Tuesday evening. The Mountaineers look to bounce back when they host No. 12-ranked Colorado School of Mines Friday at 7 p.m.
 
Western State opened up home play down most of the first set, but came back to tie it up at 17 apiece. A kill from Taylor Castillo gave the Mountaineers their first lead of the night in a match that featured 24 ties and 13 lead changes, but the Thunderwolve's Mariangel Perez closed out the game with three kills of her match-high 12.
 
In the second set, Tori Gaherty started out the Mountaineers with two kills and an early 4-1 lead. The game would close up at six each, and stay close the rest of the set. Down 23-22, Pueblo's Oni Lattin finished off the match with two of her nine kills to give the Thunderwolves a 2-0 lead at the break.
 
Molly Hothan led all Mountaineers with nine kills, hitting .278. Middle Avery Burkholder had a strong eight kills – many of which were hard put backs off of bad passes by Pueblo – and had a .238 hitting percentage. Gaherty chipped in seven kills, while Castillo and Jordan Eatwell had six each.
 
The team worked well defensively, finishing with four student-athletes with double-digit digs. Amanda Maestas led the team with 16, while Eatwell added 14, Allison Walker (29 assists) had a dozen and Gaherty chipped in 11. Up front Walker and Burkholder each had match-high four blocks.