GUNNISON, Colo.  Western Colorado volleyball opened non-conference pod-play Thursday evening, unable to pull off an upset of host and No. 11 Colorado Mesa University, falling to the Mavericks in straight sets.

The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference instituted a pair of three-team pod-play series' this season, the first a regional pod between teams linked geographically, and the second series later in the season based on the previous season's final standings with the top three teams in a pod, and so on and so on by groups of three.

All pod-play is non-conference action.

JUST THE FACTS
Final score: Colorado Mesa def. Western Colorado, 3-0 (25-8, 25-17, 25-13)
Records: Western Colorado 2-11, Colorado Mesa 13-1
Location: Brownson Arena, Grand Junction, Colo.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Western had difficulty getting things going in the opening set, getting its first point—a kill from Seyun Park—after CMU had leaped out to a 7-0 advantage.
• Despite the 17-point opening-set loss, the Mountaineers battled into the second set, inching to within three points, 10-7, early on with a kill from Maggie Olson.
• Things would tilt back toward Mesa's favor after that, though, and they would go on to win the set, would start the final set with a 4-0 spurt, then finish off the match with a 12-point set victory.

TURF NOTES

• The Mountaineers experienced a tough night on the attack, finishing the match with just a .101 attack percentage. Mesa would power through the night at a .506 clip.
• Olson, Kerri Carsrud and Park would lead the offense, Olson and Carsrud finishing with seven kills apiece and Park chipping in with six.
• Averaging at least one block per set for the season, Western's defense was shut out at the net, while Mesa totaled 5.0 blocks.
• The Mavs' attack was paced by Sydney Leffer's 18 kills. She also added 3 block assists in the victory

NEXT UP
The Mountaineers continue their pod action in Grand Junction on Friday night, with a 6 p.m. rematch against Westminster University, which squeaked out a 3-2 match victory over host Western on Sept. 29.