LUBBOCK, Texas – Six days after suffering a four-set loss at the hands of the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, the Mountain Lions again downed the Grizzlies this afternoon, this time by a 3-0 margin at the Lubbock Christian University Invitational, 25-17, 25-18, 26-24.
Winners of two-straight matches entering today, ASU falls to 2-5 on the year with today's nightcap loss.
ASU again struggled offensively as the Mountain Lion defense held the Grizzlies to a .085 hitting percentage.
UCCS took a commanding 7-1 lead in the opening set, with ASU getting no closer than three points the rest of the way. The Grizzlies went on a slight run to trim an 18-10 deficit to 19-14 late, but it wasn't enough in the 25-17 decision.
Set two was more of the same as the Mountain Lions took an early 9-5 lead and never looked back, turning that four-point cushion to as much as 20-12 before a pair of three-point runs by the Grizzlies, courtesy of strong serving from
Madeleine Benally and
Riley Rabedeaux, gave ASU hope.
UCCS, however, used a pair of kills to account for the final two points to go up two sets to none.
After the break, ASU kept pace with UCCS in the early going as the two teams split the frame's first 28 points.
Bolstered by being in the set, ASU took an 18-14 lead and kept its edge as late as 23-22 on an
Anna Huggins blast, but the Mountain Lions replied by taking four of the final five points to win the set and take the match, 3-0.
Rabedeaux led the Grizzlies with eight kills while Bugas (15), Rabedeaux (11) and
Shae Sapiga (10) each reached double-figures in digs.
ASU concludes the tournament tomorrow with a matchup against the host Lady Chaps, with first serve set for 9 am (CT).
