DENVER - The University of Denver volleyball team (8-7, 2-3 WAC) fell 3-0 (22-25, 19-25, 16-25) to the New Mexico State Aggies (11-4, 5-0 WAC) on Saturday afternoon from Pan American Center in Las Cruces, N.M.

"New Mexico State is a very good team, especially on their home court," said head coach Jesse Mahoney. "We struggled to gain a rhythm early in the match as we used a new line-up due to injury. I was proud of how our team competed the entire match. We've got a tough road trip coming up and we must learn to compete in different environments."

Junior Colleen King (Steamboat Springs, Colo.) led the Pioneers with eight kills and five blocks, while redshirt sophomore Cassie Ronda (Chandler, Ariz.) added seven kills. Sophomore Kate Acker (Waukesha, Wis.) led the way defensively with 11 digs, while setters Bailey Karst (Aurora, Colo.) and Frances Carroll (Whitefish Bay, Wis.) finished with 16 and 15 assists, respectively.

The Pioneers opened the first set trailing early as New Mexico State took a 10-4 lead and the built upon that to take a 17-7 advantage before the Pioneers' took a timeout. Coming out of the break, Denver went on a six-point run to cut the Aggies' lead to 17-13. NMS answered with a 6-3 run to take a 23-16 lead, forcing the Pioneers to take their final timeout of the set.

Denver responded with a 4-1 run out of the timeout to pull within 24-20, and then added two more off an Aggies miscue and a block by King and junior Brea Muhle (Columbus, Neb.). NMS halted the Pioneers' run, sealing the first set off a Pioneers' service error.

Both teams kept the action close in the second set. Coming out of a timeout called by the Aggies and the Pioneers trailing 16-15, New Mexico used a 6-2 run to force Denver to call timeout and hold a 22-17 lead. Both teams exchanged the next four points before Preslie Alexander sealed the second-set win with a kill. The Aggies led the entire third set, taking the match 3-0.

Alexander led the way for New Mexico State with 13 kills. Teammates Meredith Hays and Stephanie Ziegler led the way defensively with 12 and 11 digs, respectively.

Up next, the Pioneers remain on the road, traveling to San Jose, Calif., to take on San Jose State on Thursday, Oct. 4 at 8 p.m. MT.

Visit DenverPioneers.com for complete coverage of all 17 of DU's NCAA Division I sports.

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