Alamosa, Colo., Western Colorado dropped a five-set battle at Adams State, falling 3–2 (17–25, 27–25, 25–23, 16–25, 12–15) on Saturday in Alamosa.
JUST THE FACTS
Final Score: Adams State defeats Western Colorado 3-2
Records: Western Colorado overall 1-18 (0-9 RMAC) | Adams 11-10 overall (6-4 RMAC)
Location: Alamosa, Colo
Plachy Hall
HOW IT HAPPENED
- In the opening set, Western struggled to find its offensive rhythm while Adams State capitalized on early errors to build momentum. The Mountaineers kept the score close early but couldn't sustain runs as the Grizzlies pulled away late for a 25–17 win.
- Set two was a completely different story. Western came out with renewed energy and traded points in a tight back-and-forth battle that saw 10 ties and multiple lead changes. Olive Rolseth provided a spark from the outside, and Emalie Depew contributed key plays at the net.
- After fending off a set point at 24–25, the Mountaineers closed the frame with kills from Rolseth and Depew to secure a 27–25 victory and even the match at one set apiece.
- Carrying that momentum into the third, Western continued to pressure Adams State from the service line and in transition. Rolseth stayed hot offensively, while Kyra Kidd and Breanna Nohava added timely kills to help Western grab a late lead.
- The Mountaineers held off a final Adams push and finished the set strong for a 25–23 win, taking a 2–1 advantage in the match.
- The Grizzlies regrouped in the fourth and took control early. Western's offense cooled, hitting just .025 in the frame, while Adams State found success behind solid blocking and consistent side-out play.
- The Mountaineers couldn't recover from a mid-set run and dropped the set 25–16, sending the match to a decisive fifth.
- In the final frame, Western opened with back-to-back points and matched Adams point for point through the midway stage at 8–8. The Mountaineers fought hard behind Rolseth and setter Kaira Willits, but Adams closed on a 7–4 run to edge out the 15–12 win and seal the match.
- Despite the loss, Western's effort marked one of its most competitive outings of the season, showing grit and improvement across all phases of play.
NET NOTES
- Olive Rolseth led the Mountaineers with 18 kills and 12 digs, adding one ace and a team-high 19 points. Kyra Kidd followed with eight kills, two blocks, and three digs, while Emalie Depew added six kills and four total blocks. Breanna Nohava provided a strong presence at the net with seven kills on .188 hitting and four block assists.
- Setter Anuhea Kaalele dished out 19 assists to go with six kills and 14 digs, and Kaira Willits recorded 11 assists, 11 digs, and one ace. Liv Marshall chipped in five kills and four blocks, and Galatia Andrew added five assists, one ace, and a team-high 21 digs in the back row.
- Defensively, Sophia Hernandez collected 11 digs, while Lilinoe Nahinu contributed a kill off the bench. Western finished the night with 52 kills, 46 assists, and 76 digs as a team, hitting .104 overall in one of its most competitive matches of the season.
UP NEXT
The Mountaineers head to Salt Lake City, Utah to take on Westminster on Fri. Oct. 31 at 6pm.
