LAKEWOOD, CO – Looking for some solid momentum to finish the season with, the Cougars took the first step to get that on Saturday evening.
In a back-and-forth contest the Colorado Christian women's volleyball team knocked off perennial RMAC power Colorado School of Mines 3-2 (19-25, 25-19, 25-20, 10-25, 15-12).
HOW IT HAPPENED: The opening frame was a back-and-forth affair as both teams had significant scoring spurts. In the end the visitors had the most significant burst. The Orediggers took an 18-17 deficit and went on an 8-1 scoring run to close out the set in taking an early lead in the contest.
Colorado Christian raced out to a 14-6 lead to start the second set but the Orediggers rallied to pull within 15-11. During that scoring spurt Colorado School of Mines made a significant substitution as they made a change at the setter position. The Cougars shrugged off that scoring run as they never left the Orediggers closer than four points as they tied the match.
The start of the third start belong to the Cougars as they kept momentum in their favor. Colorado Christian went up 15-9 but the Orediggers rallied and got within 19-16 as the Cougars called a timeout. The visitors pulled within two points twice but never closer as the home team pulled within a set of the match.
The Orediggers were undaunted by their hole as they held an 11-5 edge as Colorado Christian called a timeout. After that Colorado School of Mines continued to press and they ended up taking a 12-point lead (18-6) and then continue to press that lead as they squads headed to the decisive set.
As the decisive set opened neither team held a lead larger than one until the Cougars grabbed a 9-7 edge. Colorado Christian built that lead to 11-7 and never let the visitors within two points down the stretch as they secured the thrilling win.
QUOTEABLE: "In the fourth set Mines definitely came back and fought hard. In the final set our mentality was we are playing a really good team but we knew we could rally back and win. We played the fifth set with an aggressive mindset which is something we have been working on in practice. I'm so proud of the team for how we battled tonight," junior Maddie Burns said.
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
- Bahnsen has led the team in kills in six straight matches as she had a match high 17
- The Cougars have played in four straight five set matches for the first time since 2013
- Colorado Christian ends a five-match home losing streak to the Orediggers
- The score was tied 29 times with 12 lead changes
UP NEXT: The Cougars take to the road next weekend as they travel to South Dakota for a pair of matches. Colorado Christian starts the road journey on Friday, Nov. 1 against South Dakota Mines.
