DENVER - The University of Denver volleyball team fought off their first opponent of the new year, knocking off San Francisco 3-1 to secure the first win of their 2019 campaign on Friday.

The Pios came out strong in the opening set, taking a 5-2 lead to set the tone for the evening. The Denver offense showed no sign of nerves as they posted a .579 attack percentage throughout the set, leading to a 25-14 set-one win.

Set two played out in similar fashion as DU record 10 kills as its offense continued to find the groove.

The Dons held their own in set three finding loopholes in the Denver defense and using an 11-2 run midway through the set to propel themselves to a close 27-25 victory.

In hopes to push the Pios into a fifth set, the Dons carried their momentum into the four set of action and took an early lead on the Crimson and Gold.

The Denver offense fought back late with the help of a game-ending 4-0 run to hold off the Dons, taking the set 25-22 and securing their first victory of the season.

Key Stats:

• Junior outside hitter Lydia Bartalo led the Pios with 13 kills. The Colorado Springs native also added seven digs and two assists to her totals.
• Freshman Ari Winters had a standout collegiate debut as she ranked second in kills with 11 with a hitting percentage of .308
• Summit League Player to Watch Tina Boe, proved what she's made of coming away with four total blocks (two assisted) while adding four kills.
• Other stat leaders for Denver were Ellie Anderson with a team-high 19 assists and Macy Carrabine with 10 digs.  

DU returns to action in a Saturday doubleheader featuring games against Southern Mississippi (12 p.m. MT) and Seattle (7 p.m. MT).

2019 Season Tickets:
Season tickets for the 2019 University of Denver volleyball season are on sale for $48. Season ticket holders from the 2018 season should contact the Denver ticket office at 303-871-4625 to renew. Season tickets can also be purchased online, by clicking here.
 
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