GREELEY, Colo. The University of Denver volleyball team registered its second consecutive sweep, this time over Front Range rival Northern Colorado, 3-0 (30-25, 32-30, 37-25) on Tuesday evening.

“In our previous matches we’ve gotten tight in pressure situations and did not react very well,” head coach Beth Kuwata said. “Tonight was a step in the right direction because we played aggressive. That was the key to winning this match.”

Three Pioneers (6-7) were in double-digit kills. Senior Kim Muller (Ballwin, Mo.) led the way with 16, while junior Kerry Porter (Western Springs, Ill.) had 15 and added five blocks. Junior Holly Benson (Colorado Springs, Colo.) had 10 kills and 12 digs on the night. Denver recorded a .192 hitting percentage and nine blocks on the night, and registered 58 kills and 65 digs.

DU trailed by as many as eight points in the first game of the match and could only get within four points until late in the frame. Trailing 24-19, DU ripped off five consecutive points, including three kills by Muller to tie the game at 24-24. The Pioneers would continue the 11-1 run, as Benson recorded two kills in the final five points to give DU the 30-25 win. Muller tallied five kills in the frame as DU held Northern Colorado (4-9) to .167 hitting percentage and 11 errors.

Denver came out strong in the second game, leading by as many as six, but the Bears mounted a 13-7 run to tie the game, 26-26. The two teams would knot up the game three more times. DU took advantage of UNC’s five errors down the stretch, including three to close out the game, for the 32-30 win. Denver held UNC to its lowest hitting percentage of the night, .067, in the set.

The Pioneers again led by as many as six early in the third game, however the Bears would not go away and rallied to tie the game at 14-14. The two teams exchanged 14 ties after knotting the game at 14-14 and Denver even found itself in a three-point hole twice. The last tie of the game was at 35-35, but Denver closed it out with a kill by Porter followed by a service ace by sophomore Clare Maxwell (Western Springs, Ill.). Porter hit .545 in the game with seven kills. The Pioneers had their best hitting percentage of the match, .208, and had four blocks in the frame.

The Pioneers begin Sun Belt Conference play on Friday, Sept. 21 against Arkansas State at 7 p.m. in Hamilton Gym.