Box Score DENVER The University of Denver volleyball team returned home to Hamilton Gymnasium for the first time since Oct. 7 and hung in with No. 20 Colorado State before falling, 3-0 (28-30, 28-30, 32-30) on Tuesday evening.
“When you play better teams it exposes your weaknesses,” head coach Beth Kuwata said. “One of the advantages to playing CSU this late in the season is that we know what we have to work on in the next four matches to become a better team for the Sun Belt Conference tournament.”
DU (17-11) and the Rams played close in the first frame, combining for 11 ties. A kill by junior Holly Benson (Colorado Springs, Colo.), followed by an ace from senior Kim Muller (Ballwin, Mo.) gave Denver its biggest lead of the game, 19-15. CSU (16-5) clawed back, getting within two points, but DU extended its lead to four on a kill by Benson. The Rams outscored DU 6-4 over the next 10 points to tie the game at 26-26. Junior Kerry Porter (Western Springs, Ill.) tied the game at 27-27 with a kill but Colorado State finished out the game on a 3-1 run to win, 30-28. Porter led DU with six kills in the frame but CSU recorded a .325 hitting percentage in the win.
With the second game tied at 4-4, Colorado State staged a 4-1 run to take an 8-5 lead. The Rams extended their lead to as many as six points after an error by Porter, but Denver rallied to tie the game at 25-25. DU tied the game at 26-26 on a block by Porter and sophomore Emmy Davidsmeyer (Colorado Springs, Colo.). Denver capitalized on a CSU service error to tie the match at 27-27. The Rams went on to win the game, 30-28. Davidsmeyer, who came off the bench in the second game, led DU with four kills. The Pioneers combined for four blocks in the game.
Denver trailed most of game three and got within one point 10 times throughout the frame, including Davidsmeyer putting DU within one point at 29-28 CSU. Senior Alyssa Hampton (Parkville, Mo.) knotted the game at 29-29 for DU’s first tie since 1-1. A block by Porter and Davidsmeyer gave Denver its first lead at 30-29, forcing the Rams to call a timeout. Out of the break an error by Hampton tied the game at 30-30. Colorado State closed out the frame with back-to-back points for the 32-30 win. Davidsmeyer had five kills in the game as DU had its best hitting percentage of the night, .245.
Porter led DU with 13 kills while Muller added 10, moving her into fourth on DU’s all-time kills list with 1,275. Porter led all players with five blocks. The Pioneers and Rams each had nine blocks and four service aces. Benson had a match-high 14 digs.
Denver’s homestand continues against
New Orleans on Friday, Nov. 2 at 7 p.m. in Hamilton Gymnasium.
