GOLDEN, Colo.  Though it challenged their opponents in almost every set, Western Colorado volleyball was unable to come up with a win Saturday on the final day of the 2022 (Colorado School of Mines) Oredigger Classic, falling 3-0 to Colorado Christian University in a morning match then dropping a 3-0 decision to Northern State (S.D.) University late in the afternoon.

JUST THE FACTS
Final scores: CCU def. Western, 3-0 (25-16, 25-20, 25-19); Northern St. def. Western, 3-0 (25-11, 25-18, 25-10)
Records: Western 0-4, CCU 1-2, Norther St. 2-2
Location: Lockridge Arena, Golden, Colo.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• In each of the three sets against CCU, it was one or two Cougar runs from which the Mountaineers were unable to recover.
• Tied at 4-4 early in the opening set, CCU doubled up Western over the next 27 points, 18-9, notching two points for every one the Mountaineers put up on the scoreboard. A split of the final six points allowed CCU to take the opening set, but also regained a bit of momentum for Western heading into the second set.
• There were six ties in the early going of that set, until a 7-2 Cougar run broke open an 11-11 game, proving costly to the Mountaineers who again managed to split the remaining points (7-7) but surrendered the set.
• Four ties in the early moments of the third set eventually saw a 7-7 deadlock, but a brief 6-2 string from CCU gave it the lead. Like with the first sets, Western then was able to go point for point with the Cougars (9-9) until CCU scored three of the final four points to break free and capture the set and match.
• A long wait from its 9:30 a.m. match to the 4:30 p.m. match against Northern State seemed to take some wind out of the sails of Western, which never really threatened in the match against the Wolves.
• A 13-3 run when NSU was leading only by four, 9-5, effectively iced the opening set, in which the Wolves registered a successful attack percentage of .714, to Western's .083.
• The Mountaineer sails billowed with new life midway through the second set as they rebounded from a 12-6 deficit to pull within three, at 14-11. Western was never able to get over the hump, though, dropping the set by a seven-point spread.
• There was simply no wind left to harness in the deciding third, as NSU broke out to an 8-2 lead. Though the Mountaineers would pull within four, 10-6, the Wolves would go on to finish the match on a 15-4 run.

NET FIGURES

• Caroline Parker, Jaeda Davis-Golliher and Jordan Todd would lead Western's attack on the day. Parker finished with a team-high 12 kills, followed by Davis-Golliher's 10 and Todd's 7.
• Like with Friday's two matches, Hailee Martinez and Lexi Wilmoth would set up the attack, and with nearly identical numbers. Wilmoth closed the day with 22 set assists while Martinez set up 20 during her time on the court.
• Defensive specialist Elizabeth Rupprecht was the Mountaineer leader on the floor, accumulating 15 digs Saturday.
• Team attack percentages reflected the scoreboard totals in the two matches. CCU posted a .245 rate against Western's .103 percentage, and in the final match, NSU would finish at .594 to the Mountaineers' .147.

NEXT UP
Western will play in the Toro Classic at California State University, Dominguez Hills on September 2 and 3. The Mountaineers take on the host Toros as well as Stanislaus (Calif.) State on Friday, and then square off against No. 15 Winona State (Minn.) University on Saturday.