The CSU-Pueblo volleyball squad fell to 9-4 on the season after dropping a tough, four set match to Adams State University on Friday night.
ASU improved to 10-1after defeating the Pack 25-23, 25-17, 18-25, 25-22. With the loss, the Pack remains winless in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play.
Adams State University came out strong in the first set, taking an early 9-2 lead on the strength of several kills by junior Gabriella Rifilato and senior Dominique Davis. The Pack kept on fighting and took advantage of several errors by ASU and tied the set at 9-9.
Five of the next six points went to ASU, giving them a lead that they would not relinquish for the rest of the set as they went on to win 25-19.
The second set brought about much of the same, as ASU jumped out to an early lead and would not let it go. Though senior Angela McAdams attempted to help bring the Pack back in the game with consecutive kills to make the score 15-11, costly errors cost CSU-Pueblo to lose the set 17-25.
Adams State University headed into the intermission with a two sets to zero lead on the CSU-Pueblo squad.
Even though the pack was down 2-0 the game was nowhere near finished. The Pack game out and scored the first point of the set, the first time they had done so all night, and immediately things started to change.
Junior Brianna Bryant delivered three kills early on to help give the Pack a 10-7 lead. This time, it was the home team that refused to surrender its lead. As ASU attempted to chip away at the Pack’s lead, their momentum was shut down by a huge block by Bryant to make the score 19-13. The Pack would hold on to win 25-18, and the comeback was seemingly on.
“We talked about taking care of the ball better when it was on our side,” said Coach Jen Gomez. “And when they give us opportunities, we have to be able to take advantage and put the ball away.”
Gomez also said she was happy with the improvement of the fundamentals following the intermission, citing blocking and passing as key improvements.
The fourth set was a hard fought battle all the way through, with the Pack scoring the first three points. The Pack held the lead until ASU junior Deprece Washington delivered a kill that tied the score at 10.
Scoring came rapidly in the fourth set, as the teams exchanged leads several times until the score was 21-21 all. The Pack, hoping to force a decisive fifth set, was unable to do so as ASU capitalized off errors and blocks to take the set 25-23, and the match 3-1.
Though the Pack lost, there were still some positives to take away from the match. Freshman Skylar Conner delivered 13 kills in the match, while Senior Angela McAdams added eight more kills to her impressive team-high of 183.
“For her [McAdams] senior year, she’s really had high expectations and high goals,” said Gomez after the game. “I’m just really happy she’s on our team and we’re not having to play against her.”
