COLORADO SPRINGS –A strong finishing push helped the Cougars accomplish something not done since the 2012 season.
The Colorado Christian volleyball team rallied past UCCS 3-2 (21-25, 30-28, 22-25, 25-22, 15-10) as the program won their first match at the Gallogly Events Center since the 2012 season.
HOW IT HAPPENED: In a tightly played first set the home team took the match's early lead thanks in part to a 5-0 edge in service aces as both offenses had similar attacking numbers.
The closely played contest continued as the second frame unfolded. Colorado Christian fought off two set points from the Mountains Lions before finally winning the stanza on their third opportunity.
A series of extended scoring runs ensured in the third set as there were seven different occasions of a team winning at least three consecutive points. The crucial final spurt came at the end when UCCS found themselves down 22-21 before scoring the final four points of the frame.
In the fourth set, with the score knotted at 17-17, the Cougars scored three straight points to take a three-point edge. UCCS couldn't get their deficit to less than two points the rest of the set as a winner-take-all fifth set was forced.
The points were traded in the early going before the Cougars slowed nudged ahead. They grew a 6-4 lead to 12-7 as they claimed the thrilling win. Colorado Christian never trailed in the final set as they hit .381 in the frame.
COUGAR LEADERS: Both Bre Allen and Libby Goodman tallied a match high 21 kills while Lilly Woods added 11 kills and a .409 hitting percentage. Moreover, Allen hit a match high .436 on her 39 swings as she recorded just four total errors.
Izzy Jones dished out a career best 59 assists while Madelyn Long's 24 digs were the second most in her collegiate career for the sophomore.
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
- Forty-one times the score was tied; the lead changed hands on 12 different occasions
- The Cougars registered a season high 73 kills; the most for the program since a Sept. 16, 2016 match vs CSU Pueblo (75)
UP NEXT: The Cougars return home as they host Westminster on Friday, Oct. 1 at 7:00 p.m.
