COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO., The Mountaineers drop both games on day two of the Mountaineer classic.
 
WESTERN VS WESTERN NEW MEXICO

• Western Colorado opened the first set with an early kill from senior Olive Rolseth off a set by junior Kaira Willits, but errors quickly allowed Western New Mexico to take control. Kills from junior Liv Marshall and Rolseth kept the Mountaineers in range midway through, yet a late surge by Western New Mexico closed the set 25-17.
• In the second set, Western Colorado showed fight early with more kills from Marshall, but attack and service errors piled up. The Mountaineers struggled to string points together, and Western New Mexico's defense and serving pressure pushed the set out of reach, ending 25-13.
• The third set began with energy from Western Colorado as Rolseth and Marshall traded points with Western New Mexico. The Mountaineers stayed closer in this frame, showing more consistency, and rallying late to cut into the deficit. Despite their effort, errors and strong blocking from Western New Mexico sealed the match with a 25-21 final set.
• Throughout the night, Marshall led Western Colorado with 10 kills, while Rolseth added timely offense and steady back-row play. However, too many errors and Western New Mexico's efficient defense kept the Mountaineers from finding their rhythm.

WESTERN VS UCCS

• Western Colorado opened the first set against UCCS with an early kill from Willits, but the Mountain Lions quickly took control with strong attacking and serving. Errors on the Mountaineers' side made it difficult to gain momentum, and despite a few rallies led by Marshall, UCCS ran away with the set 25-10.
• In the second set, Western Colorado showed more fight, with Rolseth and Marshall finding openings for kills and keeping rallies alive. However, attack and service errors again limited the Mountaineers' progress, and UCCS capitalized on its blocking and serving pressure to pull away and win 25-16.
• The third set brought another competitive start as Rolseth and Marshall continued to spark the offense. Freshman Anuhea Ka'alele and Willits contributed with steady setting and defensive play, but UCCS maintained control with efficient hitting and forced errors. Despite Western Colorado's effort to rally, the Mountain Lions closed the match with another 25-16 set win.
• Throughout the match, Rolseth, Marshall, and junior Breanna Nohava were the main offensive contributors, while Ka'alele and Willits anchored the team's passing and defense. Still, too many attack and service errors prevented the Mountaineers from finding a rhythm against a sharp UCCS squad.

NET NOTES

• Over the weekend, Western Colorado saw several players step up across both matches. Marshall was the most consistent offensive threat, finishing with 10 kills against Western New Mexico and adding 4 more versus UCCS. Rolseth also had a strong showing, tallying 6 kills and a team-high 14 digs against Western New Mexico before contributing 4 kills and steady defense against UCCS.
• In the setting role, Andrew had 14 assists in the first match, while Ka'alele and Kaira Willits shared the load against UCCS with 6 assists each. Ka'alele and Willits also played a key role in the back row, with Ka'alele leading the team in digs in the second match with 8, followed closely by Andrew and Willits with 7 apiece.
• Across both matches, Marshall and Rolseth carried the offensive load, while the combination of Andrew, Ka'alele, and Willits provided steady distribution and defensive coverage. Despite the challenges, the Mountaineers showed balanced contributions that can be built upon moving forward.

 
UP NEXT
The Mountaineers will host South Dakota Mines for their home opener on Friday Sept. 19.