Box Score

DENVER, Colo. – No. 15 Metro State defeated Fort Lewis College in four sets tonight in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference volleyball action, but to FLC head coach Shelly Aaland, the game served as a learning experience for her young team.

The Skyhawks (6-4 overall, 0-2 RMAC) gave the Roadrunners (7-3, 2-0) – one of the favorites to win the RMAC in 2010 – all they could handle through the first two sets.

“With quite a few new faces on the court, we're learning how to maintain a consistent energy level and focus,” said Aaland. “We played really well. We competed and challenged the No. 15 team in the nation pretty well in the first two sets.”

The Roadrunners won the match in an hour and 45 minutes – much longer than they took to dispatch the RMAC West Division favorites Mesa State one night earlier, when they won in three.

Metro State beat FLC 29-27, 22-25, 25-18, 25-17 on Friday at the Auraria Events Center.

The match proved to be a battle of middle blockers. For Fort Lewis, senior Taylor Hillberry (12 kills, five blocks, .524 hitting efficiency) and freshman Kristin Stephan (six kills, two blocks. .312 hitting efficiency) proved nearly unstoppable. The two combined for just two errors in 37 total attempts.

“Our middles did a good job,” said Aaland. “Taylor hit a .524 and Kristen did a good job with the balls she got.”

Not to be outdone, a familiar face led the Roadrunner attack in the middle. Anna Mapes, who served as Aaland's assistant coach during 2006 and '07 when FLC advanced to the NCAA Division II playoffs and won the '07 RMAC championship, had eight kills and no errors in just nine attempts for a blistering .889 attack percentage. The 31-year-old Mapes resumed her collegiate playing career in 2008.

The team hitting percentages were nearly identical: FLC actually outhit Metro State .276 to .273, but the Roadrunners outkilled the Skyhawks 67-43.

Emily Greenhalgh had 18 kills while Lisa Jones added 16 and Bri Morley 15 for Metro St.

Senior outside hitter Chelsea Flaming added 12 kills (.286 attack percentage) for the Skyhawks.

The Skyhawks conclude their three-game road trip at Regis (6-4, 2-0) at 4 p.m. Saturday. After opening the 2010 season with 11 road and neutral-site games, FLC will open its home slate at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 21 against Colorado Christian (6-4, 1-0) in Whalen Gymnasium.