COLORADO SPRINGS --- Western Colorado volleyball moves to 5-6 on the season after winning both matches on the road in Colorado Springs on Thursday. The Mountaineers started the day by beating South Dakota Mines 3-2 (21-25, 27-25, 15-25, 25-20, 15-10) then went on to defeat UCCS 3-1 (28-26, 25-22, 25-27, 25-20).
 
WESTERN COLORADO VERSES SOUTH DAKOTA MINES:
For the first match of the day, the Mountaineers played well against the Hardrockers as they were able to defeat them in the fifth set after coming back from being down 2-1. Western Colorado matched South Dakota Mines in nearly every statistic, but were able to gain the edge with their serving as the Mountaineers recorded seven aces to the Hardrockers two aces.    
 
Elizabeth Rupprecht recorded three of those aces for the team, as senior Lyria Brook earned two in the match. Both Kaia Ghosh and Jordyn Todd each served one ace in the five set match.
 
Rupprecht also played hard defensively as she led the team with 14 digs, followed by Lyria Brook and Kaia Ghosh each with 11 digs.  
 
Leading the Mountaineers in kills was freshman Caroline Parker who was able to record 19 kills, as teammates Emily Mangone (12 kills) and Savanna Meyer (11 kills) were not too far behind.
 
Senior Hanna Hendrickson put up a season four set best of 57 assists in the match, just a few short of etching her name in the Western record books.
 
At the net, the team recorded six blocks, with four of them coming from freshman Savanna Meyer.
 
WESTERN COLORADO VERSES UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO COLORADO SPRINGS:
In Western Colorado's second match of the day, the Mountaineers put forth a grand effort against the Mountain Lions. After getting off to a hot 2-0 start, then dropping the third set, the team was able to clinch the match in the fourth set. 
 
The team recorded a season high of 10 aces against UCCS, giving them the edge they needed to earn the win. Nicole Gonzales recorded an impressive five aces over the four set match, which ties her for the most aces in a four set match in the Western Colorado record books.
 
Emily Mangone was able to record three aces in the match, with teammates Elizabeth Rupprecht and Kaia Ghosh each earning one ace.
 
Ghosh was also able to lead the team in kills as she put up 16 kills, with fellow freshman Caroline Parker earning 11 kills over the four sets. Most of those kills coming off an assist from Hanna Hendrickson as she set 38 assists in the match.
 
At the net, Elizabeth Koch led the team with five blocks as Caroline Parker recorded four blocks.
 
Three Mountaineers were in double digits on digs, led by Elizabeth Rupprecht with 21 digs and followed by Emily Mangone (14 digs) and Hanna Hendrickson (13 digs).
 
NEXT WEEK:
Next weekend the Mountaineers will host Colorado Mesa University for their last home game of the season. The match will take place on Mar. 27 at 3 p.m. and will be senior night for the two seniors on the team, Lyria Brook and Hanna Hendrickson.