LAKEWOOD – Cindy Garcia hammered home a team-best 13 kills while hitting a solid .233 for visiting Adams State, but host Colorado Christian hit .238 as a team as the Cougars took a hard-fought 26-24, 25-18, 25-21 win over a resilient Grizzlies squad.
The loss drops ASU to 6-14 overall and 3-9 in RMAC play, while CCU improves to 12-8 overall and 7-4 in league action.
The two teams split the match's first 10 points before ASU went on an 8-4 run to take a 13-9 edge, the last point of the run coming on a
Riley Rabedeaux putaway.
CCU caught the Grizzlies at 14-all before the two teams found themselves tied again at 20-20 down the stretch.
Consecutive Cougar errors brought ASU to within three points of the set, but three-consecutive CCU points turned the tables on the Grizzlies, putting the Cougars within two points of the opening frame at 23-22.
Behind another kill by Rabedeaux, ASU forged another deadlock before the hosts used a 3-1 spurt to close the set and take the opener.
CCU used that momentum to take a quick 4-1 lead in set two, before two kills by
Natalie Gallegos and one by Garcia brought ASU back to a 7-7 tie.
After a Garcia kill broke the deadlock, the teams found themselves tied four more times, the last at 12-12.
That's when CCU took control, outscoring ASU 10-2 to put the set away in the eventual seven-point win.
The Grizzlies looked to cut their deficit in half after intermission, taking a slim 6-4 lead behind an
Anna Huggins blast.
CCU answered again, however, turning that two-point deficit into an 8-6 lead four points later.
Tied at 11-all, a Gallegos service ace spurred a 5-2 Grizzlies fun, only to have the hosts counter and tie the set at 18-18.
The Cougars rode that counter to another run, a 6-1 variety, to bring them to set point at 24-19.
Despite ASU's defense forcing a pair of CCU errors over the next two points, Colorado Christian wasn't to be denied as Abigail Newell hammered home the final kill of the set and match, giving the hosts the 3-0 win.
Huggins and Rabedeaux added seven kills each while
Aileen Bugas with 13 digs and
Sierra Leone Sanchez with 18 assists led the Grizzlies in their respective categories.
ASU returns home next weekend to host Black Hills State University on Friday, October 21, with first serve set for 7 pm in Plachy Hall.
