Box score

DURANGO, Colo. — Taylor Sturms and sisters Ali and Andi Weber combined for 32 kills as Colorado Christian (15-5 overall, 6-4 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) swept pesky Fort Lewis (9-8, 5-4) tonight  in Whalen Gymnasium tonight, 25-22, 25-23, 25-23.
 
“I'm disappointed with the outcome because I felt we had a great game plan against them,” said ninth-year FLC head coach Shelly Aaland.
 
The Skyhawks certainly had their chances. In the first set, FLC had a 17-12 lead before allowing the Cougars to 10 of the next 11 points to take a commanding 22-18 edge. Six of the 10 points came off Skyhawk attack errors and another on a serving error — one of four that Fort Lewis gave away in the first set.
 
In the second set, the Skyhawks held a 17-15 lead before the Cougars went on a 6-1 run, with four of those points coming off FLC hitting miscues.
 
“Switching to a 6-2 offense provided a nice spark in the third set,” said Aaland.
 
Running an offense with two setters and two right side hitters rotating into the lineup — Ciara Krening and Tehya Smith running the offense and Stephani Sonka and Audrey Guiberson providing a bigger block on the right side — stubborn Fort Lewis had two big rallies in the third set. First, FLC trailed 11-6 before reeling off four points to tighten things up at 11-10. Then at 22-14, FLC climbed all the way back to 24-23 before Sturms ended the night with a kill.
 
“Jenna Kinzer had a knockout digging match and kept in several rallies,” said Aaland. FLC's junior libero finished with 15 digs and even got into the offense with a kill and an ace.
 
Ashley Wells was the lone Skyhawk to finish with double-digit kills (11). Sonka added six kills, while Stephan had five kills and a pair of aces and Guiberson — seeing the first significant action of her collegiate career — had four kills and a .500 hitting efficiency. Krening had 20 assists while Smith added eight in one set of work.
 
Sturms finished with 15 kills, five digs, and three blocks. Andi Weber had a double-double with 15 digs and 12 kills. Ali Weber had five kills and four blocks, while setter Jordan Carswell distributed 35 assists.
 
The Cougars led most statistical categories, including kills (41-34), hitting efficiency (.206 to .130), and blocks (8-5). Digs were level at 37, while FLC notched five service aces to four for CCU.
 
The Skyhawks fell to 11-18 all-time against Colorado Christian and have three straight to the Cougars.
 
“Tomorrow we regroup and go back to work,” said Aaland.
 
The Skyhawks host No. 12 Colorado Mines (15-4, 9-1) at 7 p.m. tomorrow night in Whalen Gymnasium. The Orediggers swept Colorado Mesa 25-18, 25-22, 25-18 tonight at Saunders Fieldhouse in Grand Junction.
 
Fort Lewis leads the all-time series with Colorado Mines 34-21 — and 12-6 in matches played in Whalen Gymnasium — but has dropped the past five to the Orediggers.