GRAND JUNCTION, CO- Colorado Christian headed to West Colorado for an RMAC Quarterfinal matchup with #10 Colorado Mesa on Tuesday. Taking on a team that CCU dealt one of only three losses the Mavericks suffered on the season, the home team barely edged the Cougars in three highly competitive and tight sets inside Brownson Arena to end the season for Colorado Christian. 

The first set started off as a back and forth affair, and Suzanna Conner put down consecutive kills to put the visitors up 7-5. The teams battled from there, with Mesa gaining a slight advantage on a three-point run late in the set at 20-15. Renee Phillips brought her team back as she put down a kill to trim the deficit to 23-21, but the Mavericks closed the set out 25-21 ultimately. 

Set two saw the hosts jump ahead early, but the Cougars clawed their way back into the set on the back of kills from Libby Goodman and Lilly Woods to make the gap just one at 16-15. Alli Douglass and Conner then tied things at 19 with kills before Conner put CCU ahead 22-21 with another slam. Unfortunately, the Mavericks went on a three-point run and eventually closed out the set 25-23. 

Looking to avoid the sweep, the Cougars came out firing in the third set to snag a 9-5 lead on an Abby Breeding ace. CMU battled back, but another ace from Breeding put it at 18-16 Cougars. Another run from the Mavericks saw them go ahead 20-18. A Phillips kill and Kristina House ace tied it back up at 20 as the two teams fought to the final whistle on each play. Phillips put her team up 21-20 with a kill before Douglass tied it at 22-22. A Goodman kill staved off one match point, but in the end the Mavericks came away with the set and the match with a final score of 25-23. 

Goodman led the offensive attack with nine kills, followed by Douglass and Conner with eight. Izzy Jones tallied 30 assists as she facilitated the offense well all evening, and the libero Breeding picked up 12 digs to lead the defense. 

The Cougars finish the 2023 season with a 12-15 overall record and 7-7 mark in RMAC play. There is much to be proud of from this season, including the teams biggest win of the year in October against then #7 Colorado mesa in five sets. CCU battled through adversity all season to make their fourth straight appearance in the RMAC Tournament, and they will look to continue to build on that when 2024 rolls around.