GRAND JUNCTION, CO- The Cougars returned to their home state on Saturday as they visited the #17 Colorado Mesa at Brownson Arena. The match was competitive throughout, but in the end the Mavericks came away with the sweep. 

The hosts jumped ahead early in set one to claim a 6-1 advantage, but a four point run led by a kill from Renee Phillips and a pair of slams from Suzanna Conner brought the deficit to just 9-7. The teams continued to battle as Lilly Woods put down a pair of kills, but the Mavericks eventually pulled away for the 25-20 set win. 

The Cougars started hot in the second set with the first three points capped by a Krista Traynor kill. Phillips and Woods then registered blocks to push the lead to 6-3, and later in the set Woods and Abby Newell denied a Mavs attack with a block for the 17-15 advantage. CMU hung around and kept the set tight throughout, and as the final points approached they buckled down and got four kills in the last six points to close the set 25-23. 

Colorado Christian came out in the third set with a kill by Megan McNitt, but the Mavericks went on a key five point run early in the set that put them in control. Phillips and Alissa Gregory-Obideo notched a block to cut the deficit to 16-12, but despite a three-point run towards the end of set, the hosts came away with the 25-20 set win to claim the sweep. 

McNitt paced the offense with 10 kills followed by Conner with 7 and Phillips with 6. Izzy Jones dished out 15 assists while Traynor posted 14. Shelby Hernandez had 13 digs, while Phillips notched an impressive 7 blocks. 

The Cougars will now return to Lakewood for a much needed five-game home stretch starting with a matchup against Mines on October 31 at 5 p.m. MST.