Alamosa, Colo. – Adams State volleyball showed grit during its first Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference matchup of the season Friday night at Plachy Hall, taking perennial contender Colorado Mesa to the limit in a five-set showdown. Despite a standout performance from senior Hadleigh Richardson, the Grizzlies came up just short, falling 3-2 (23-25, 25-27, 27-25, 25-23, 12-15).
Richardson turned in one of her best outings of the year, hammering down a match-high 23 kills on .352 hitting while adding 14 digs and three blocks. Her consistent scoring kept the Grizzlies alive in key moments, particularly in the third and fourth sets when Adams State rallied to even the match.
The opening set saw the Grizzlies trade points with the Mavericks, but Colorado Mesa held on late to edge out a 25-23 win. The second frame proved just as close, with Adams State pushing CMU past the 25-point mark before falling, 27-25.
With their backs against the wall, the Grizzlies responded in front of the home crowd. Richardson, along with Katie Bauer (10 kills, four blocks) and Olivia Lunt (11 kills), helped fuel a 27-25 third-set win. Setter Ellie Miller (27 assists, nine digs) and Isabella DeLaRosa (22 assists) guided the offense, while libero Logan Conlin anchored the defense with a team-high 26 digs.
The Grizzlies carried that energy into the fourth, taking a narrow 25-23 win to force a decisive fifth set. In the final frame, Adams State battled back from an early deficit and pulled within one at 12-11, but the Mavericks capitalized on late opportunities to close out the match 15-12.
As a team, the Grizzlies posted 66 kills, 80 digs and 10 total blocks in the nearly three-hour contest. Rowan Tribelhorn added six blocks and six kills, while freshman Amar'e Stout tallied seven kills, three blocks and a service ace in a strong all-around effort.
With the result, Adams State moved to 3-6 overall and 0-1 in RMAC play. Colorado Mesa improved to 5-3 overall and 1-0 in the league.
The Grizzlies return to action Saturday afternoon when they host Westminster at 1 p.m. inside Plachy Hall.