BOULDER, Colo. -- The Denver volleyball team fell to the Toledo Rockets in five sets (23-25, 25-19, 21-25, 27-25, 11-15) on Friday night at the CU Events Center.

Offensively, the Pioneers were led by Alicia Thibodeau with 16 kills, while Genevieve Lewis added 13 and Ava Reynolds chipped in 11. On the defensive side, Alayna Finucan made 11 digs, Thibodeau added eight and Ilayda Eren scooped seven. 

HOW IT HAPPENED
SET 1
Denver and Toledo traded blows to start the match, before Denver took a 6-5 lead. Toledo tied the match at 9-9 before going on a 4-0 run to take the 13-10. The Rockets kept the offensive momentum going to extend the lead to 18-12. The Pioneers were able to go on a run of their own but could not overcome the deficit and dropped the first set, 25-23.
 
SET 2
Denver took early 6-3 lead on the way to winning the second set, 25-19. Toledo tied it up 6-6, but Denver took back offensive momentum to build 13-8 lead. Even with a late rally from the Rockets, Denver earned a 23-18 lead and the set victory off a solo block by Jamia Johnson.
 
SET 3
The Pioneers and Rockets battle back and forth in the third stanza. Toledo pulled ahead to a 15-12 lead and ultimately earned the 25-21 set three victory.
 
SET 4
Denver jumped out to an early 4-1 lead in the fourth stanza. The Pioneers extended their lead to 15-11 but Toledo battled back to tie it at 16-16. The Pioneers capitalized on errors from the Rockets and back-to-back kills of their own to earn a 27-25 set win.
 
SET 5
DU took a 3-1 lead to start the set but were unable to maintain the momentum and dropped the final set, 15-11.

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