LITTLE ROCK, Ark. The University of Denver volleyball team lost in five games, 3-2 (25-30, 30-20, 24-30, 30-19, 8-15), Friday evening at the Stephens Center in Little Rock, Ark. The loss gives the Pioneers a one-match lead in the Sun Belt Conference West Division with five matches left to play.

“They outplayed us,” head coach Beth Kuwata said. “When the match was on the line we got outplayed and out have not had that happen to us in a very long time. We just did not respond in game five. We have to be ready to play tomorrow and get back out momentum.”

With the match tied two games apiece, the Pioneers (16-10, 10-3 SBC) fell behind 10-1 to start the fifth game. Denver went on a 7-3 run but UALR (17-8, 9-4) won the game, 15-8.

Denver began game four on a 5-0 run, including two kills apiece by senior Kim Muller (Ballwin, Mo.) and sophomore Emmy Davidsmeyer (Colorado Springs, Colo.). DU extended its lead to 11 on a Davidsmeyer kill and went on to win 30-19. Davidsmeyer had five kills in the frame, while freshman Kacie Wikierak (Crystal Lake, Ill.) had 12 digs. 

The Pioneers knotted the third game at 12-12 on a kill by Muller and then the lead on an attack error by UALR, to give Denver its first lead since 2-1. The Trojans responded by scoring three unanswered points, including two on Pioneer errors to take a 16-14 lead. Denver would tie the game at 20-20 on a kill by Muller but UALR rattled off a 3-1 run, putting the Pioneers down 24-21. DU would pull within two but the Trojans went on for the 30-24 win.

The Pioneers began game two with back-to-back-to-back kills from Muller to take a 3-0 lead. DU extended its lead to eight at 9-1 on an error by the Trojans. The Pioneers led by as many as 10 in the game. Denver wrapped up the game on a kill by Muller for the 30-20 win.

DU got behind in game one and pulled within four points late in the frame but UALR won the game, 30-25.

Muller had a match-high 18 kills, while Davidsmeyer added 15. Junior Holly Benson (Colorado Springs, Colo.) tallied 17 kills. Senior Alyssa Hampton (Parkville, Mo.) and junior Kerry Porter (Western Springs, Ill.) added 11 kills apiece. Freshman Kresson Vreeman recorded a career-high 72 assists. Wikierak had 27 digs on the night. Porter led the Pioneers with six blocks. Hampton added 22 digs in the game.

DU hit .162 in the match, recording 76 kills and 53 total errors. The Trojans hit .171 and had 18.5 blocks.

Denver’s road trip wraps up in Jonesboro, Ark., against Arkansas State on Saturday, Oct. 27 at 2 p.m.