SAN MARCOS, CA- The Cougars continued play in California on Friday as they took on Purdue Northwest. Three very tightly contested sets were all won by CCU in the end as they swept the Pride for their third consecutive victory in straight sets. 

After PNW scored three straight points to start the game, CCU settled in and tied things at 7-7 after a block by Renee Phillips and Krista Traynor and a Savannah Majeski ace. A key four-point run while trailing 15-12 was a momentum swing for the Cougars as Sierra Crist and Connelly Kilgore put balls down to give their team the lead. The set remained tight to the very end, but an emphatic block by Phillips gave her team the 25-23 set win. 

The Pride jumped ahead again in set two, but the resiliency of the Cougars was on full display. Down 9-5, CCU began chipping away at the lead as Traynor and Crist had kills. They still found themselves down 17-10 despite their efforts, and it looked as though PNW may run away with the set. The Cougars had other plans, however, as three straight kills kept them in things. With PNW leading 23-16, the Cougars went on a pivotal five-point run, highlighted by kills from Suzanna Conner and Kilgore to make it 23-21. Things still looked dire as CCU trailed 24-21, but they buckled down and rattled off four straight points to flip the script. Facing a fifth set point trailing 26-25, Colorado Christian scored the next three points as Phillips scored the final two points with a block and kill to secure the comeback 28-26 set win. 

Set three was a back and forth affair early, but once again PNW managed to jump ahead 14-9 midway through the set. The Pride continued to press as they tried to avoid a sweep, and they charged to a 23-16 lead. That was when the Cougars made their move. The offense and defense found new life as Phillips and Conner notched three blocks in an eight-point run and three different attackers picked up kills to make it 24-23. The Pride managed to save one match point, but they could not avoid the sweep as once again Conner and Phillips combined for a block and Crist finished the match off with a kill for the 26-24 win and the sweep. 

It was a gritty performance from the Cougars as they showed their resolve many times throughout the match to deny their opponent from taking a set. Conner and Crist paced the offense with 10 kills apiece, and Kilgore chipped in nine kills. Traynor tallied 26 assists, while Phillips was dominant with an eye-popping 10 blocks. Kristina House had 14 digs to lead the defensive effort as the Cougars came up with exactly what they needed when the time called for it. 

Colorado Christian will play their final pre-conference contest in California on September 13 as they take on Cal State San Marcos at 11 a.m. MST.