CANYON, Texas – Looking to regroup after dropping both matches on day one of the Britkare Lady Buff Classic yesterday, the Adams State volleyball team made strides by boasting three players in double-figure kills, only to fall 3-1 to UC Colorado Springs.
The Grizzlies picked up their first set of the year in the 24-26, 25-8, 16-25, 26-28 setback, falling to 0-3 on the year.
Anna Huggins (13 kills),
Riley Rabedeaux (12) and
Cindy Garcia (11) paced the offense as ASU hit a season-best .221 for the match, also winning the battle at the net (10 blocks to 7).
The opener saw a nip-and-tuck battle as the squads split the first 48 points en route to a 24-24 deadlock. After an ASU service error gave UCCS set point, the Mountain Lions took advantage by holding serve in the close 26-24 win.
The Grizzlies stormed back in the next set, taking an early 11-3 lead behind the strong serve of Rabedeaux, and three big roofs courtesy of Garcia and
Cora Ellis.
ASU maintained its double-figure lead the rest of the set, with an Ellis hammer closing out the decisive 25-8 win, the first of the season for the Grizzlies.
ASU looked to capitalize on its momentum after intermission, recovering from an early 9-6 deficit to knot the frame at 11-11 after a pair of Huggins hammers, and taking the lead at 13-11 after a UCCS error and Garcia kill.
The Mountain Lions, however, reeled off a 10-1 run to seize control, winning the frame on an ace to take a 2-1 match edge.
Looking to take the match into a winner-take-all fifth, the two teams were neck-and-neck in forging a 14-all tie in set four, before a Rabedeaux kill and a pair of UCCS errors put ASU up by three, prompting a Mountain Lion time out.
That proved beneficial as UCCS scored the next three to again knot the score, setting up a frenetic finish.
Tying again thrice down the stretch, ASU held set point at 24-23, only to relinquish its edge on an attack error.
After UCCS brought itself to match point one serve later, Huggins staved that off with her 13
th and final kill to bring the set to 25-25.
An ensuing Huggins ace gave ASU one more chance to force a fifth, but a UCCS kill, ASU ball-handling error and UCCS block assist proved to be the difference makers as the Mountain Lions survived in the four-game thriller.
ASU gets its final shot at a tournament win this afternoon as it takes on St. Mary's University (TX), set for a 4:30 pm (CT) first serve.
