DENVER The University of Denver volleyball team fell to Wichita State 3-0 (25-30, 23-30, 24-30) in the championship game of the University of Denver Invitational Saturday evening at Hamilton Gymnasium.

“I am pleased with how we played all weekend even though I would have liked to have gotten the win tonight,” head coach Beth Kuwata said. “For the second weekend in a row we’ve played some good teams and its shows us what we need to work on. I think we’ll be more prepared for TCU’s tournament next weekend.”

Senior Kim Muller (Ballwin, Mo.) led DU with 11 kills and a .273 hitting percentage. Muller also had five blocks. Junior Holly Benson (Colorado Springs, Colo.) had 12 kills and eight digs. Freshman Kresson Vreeman (Raymond, Minn.) had 35 assists and three blocks.

In the first game of the match, Denver (3-3) and Wichita State (4-2) shared eight ties and two lead changes. The Pioneers led by as many as three points midway through the frame when they went on a 7-4 run, capped by a Muller kill from Vreeman, but the Shockers rallied and tied the game, 19-19. WSU ripped off an 11-6 run to close out the game, 30-25 as DU hit just .132 in the match.

The Pioneers came out slow in the second game, trailing by as many as five. DU pulled to within one on a 4-0 run, during which Benson and junior Jacqueline Paul (Albuquerque, N.M.) combined for a key block and Baris registered the kill on a long rally. DU could not hold off the Shockers, however, as they went on a 5-0 run to take a 20-14 lead. The run was broken up when WSU’s Sara Lungren committed an attack error and DU got within five late in the game, but the Shockers kept up the pressure, winning 30-23.

DU jumped out to a 2-0 lead in game three, but Wichita State scored four unanswered points to take the early lead. Two kills by Muller allowed the Pioneers to make a 3-1 run to take the lead again. Denver’s run was halted by WSU’s Sara Lungren, who registered a kill. The Shockers knotted the game at 7-7, but the Pioneers jumped back out to a two point lead as both sides traded errors. The score was tied again at 11-11, on a kill by Stephanie Tokarz. The Pioneers answered on a kill by senior Alyta Baris (Belvidere, Ill.) but DU trailed by two. Benson reeled off back-to-back kills to retie the game, 17-17 before WSU went on a 9-3 run to close out the game, 30-24.

Benson and freshman libero Kacie Wikierak (Crystal Lake, Ill.) were named to the University of Denver Invitational All-Tournament team.

The University of Denver volleyball team heads to the Nike/Molten Invitational in Fort Worth, Texas, Sept. 14-15. DU will take on Georgia Southern at 3 p.m. MT on Friday, and then play Lamar at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday. Denver caps off the trip against the host team, TCU, at 6:30 p.m. Saturday evening.