COLORADO SPRINGS, CO- CCU traveled south to take on UCCS as they continued RMAC play on Saturday afternoon. The match went back and forth to the fifth set, but the home team held on 3-2 in a thriller. 

A Connelly Kilgore ace and Sierra Crist kill sent the Cougars ahead 5-3, and a kill from Renee Phillips sent them ahead 10-9. With CCU leading 17-15, the Mountain Lions went on a run to go ahead 19-17. Trailing 20-19, CCU scored five straight, keyed by kills from Janelle Deboer and Suzanna Conner to take the set 25-20. 

UCCS gained an early advantage and held on despite CCU pulling even at 18-18. The hosts went on a seven point run to close the set out 25-18 to tie things at 1-1. 

Set three was taken control of by UCCS early with an 8-2 advantage, and they later went ahead 19-14. Scoring five of six points, CCU climbed back as Crist and Emily Darwin had kills to bring their team within one at 20-19. The Mountain Lions closed strong as they took the set 25-21. 

A tense set four ensued as UCCS climbed ahead 11-7 early. The Cougars chipped away at the lead, and trailing 17-14 proceeded to go on a six point run as Conner and Crist had multiple kills to put their team ahead 20-17. With set point at 24-23, UCCS saved it to tie things at 24-24, but consecutive slams from Karen Salimger sent the match to a fifth set after the 26-24 set win. 

Deboer tied things at 5-5 early in the final set, and kills by Phillips and Kilgore saw the visitors go ahead 9-7. Another Kilgore kill made it 10-10, but UCCS managed to go on a match-closing five point run for the 15-10 set victory. 

Phillips paced the team with 16 kills and chipped in three blocks, while Conner had 15 kills and four blocks. Kilgore had 11 kills, while Kate Ringer led with 26 assists. Danielle Seabern had 23 assists, while Kristina House had 17 digs. Ringer had a double-double as she tallied 11 digs on the night.

CCU continues action in pod play at Regis against the Rangers on October 30 at 5 p.m. MDT.