GUNNISON, Colo.  Western Colorado volleyball put up a fight, but the Mountaineers were unable to keep the Mountain Lions of University of Colorado Colorado Springs from taking a 3-0 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference victory Friday evening at Paul Wright Gym.

The first two sets were decided by a total of five points but UCCS closed out the victory with more breathing room in the deciding third set.

JUST THE FACTS
Final score: UCCS def. Western, 3-0 (25-22, 25-23, 25-14)
Records: Western 2-14 (1-8 RMAC), UCCS 8-9 (3-6)
Location: Paul Wright Gym, Gunnison, Colo.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Trailing in the match after the first set, the Mountaineers battled back from five-point deficits four separate times in the first half of the second set, finally tying the score at 12-12 on a UCCS attacking error, then inching in front by a point with an attack block by Jaeda Davis-Golliher and Jordyn Todd.
• Later in the same set the Mountain Lions gained the edge again, creeping out to a 19-14 lead only to surrender a four-point run to Western that knotted things up again. That run began with a UCCS service error, continued with a Julia Antu service ace and a UCCS attacking error before ending with another Antu ace.
• The teams were tied later at 20 and once more at 21, providing Western with the opportunity to take the set and square the match. Consecutive points by UCCS gave the Mountain Lions the late lead and, though Western would trim the deficit to one and would then fend off a set point, UCCS picked up a set-clinching kill from Nicole Medlin to thwart the comeback.
• The deciding third set was a contrast in results as UCCS clinched the match with a .421 hitting percentage while Western would have a rough go of it at -.071.
• The Mountaineers were right there with the Mountain Lions throughout much of the first set but could not get over the hump. UCCS broke an 8-8 tie with three unanswered points, but Western held the deficit to that gap or one less. The teams alternated points over the next 10, until UCCS built the margin to five, at 19-14.
• Western would make a late charge, climbing within 24-22 while beating back a pair of set points, but the Mountain Lions would earn that final point to put them on their way to the sweep.

ABOUT THE NUMBERS

• Medlin had a match-high 12 kills for UCCS in the win, joined in double figures by Hannah Ammerman. The Mountaineer attack was paced by Davis-Golliher who finished with 8 kills.
• Defense at the net played a factor in the outcome as UCCS collected 9.0 blocks to just 3.0 by Western.
• Neither team forged an advantage off serves. Both ended the night with four aces. Antu and Delaney Ochsner had two each for Western, tying with Raegen Emery for match-high from behind the line.
• Ochsner came up with 12 digs to lead Western, but UCCS' Jordyn Kinsey recorded a match-high 15 digs during the win.
• Hailee Martinez registered 24 of Western's 25 set assists, equaling the same figure from the Mountain Lions' Reilly Babcock.

UP NEXT
Western will face Colorado State University Pueblo (14-3 overall, 7-2 RMAC) Saturday at 6 p.m. in Paul Wright Gym.