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Volleyball vs. Westminster College
JoJo Lutz, Fort Lewis Athletic Communications

Fort Lewis College volleyball gears up for road finale, takes on CCU and #1 MSU Denver

10/27/2022 5:00:00 PM

By: Angela Roberts, Assistant AD - Communications
DURANGO, Colo. – The final road trip of the regular season kicks off on Friday for the Fort Lewis College volleyball team with a match versus Colorado Christian University. The team will go on to take on No. 1 MSU Denver on Saturday to end the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference road slate.

Last Time Out
The Skyhawks were 1-1 last week with a 3-0 win over Westminster College and a 3-1 loss to No. 20 Colorado Mesa University. In the sweep of Westminster, the Skyhawks were treated to a .277 hitting percentage—the second-best mark of the season and best since an August 26th sweep over Western New Mexico where the team hit .333. Fort Lewis' defense limited the Griffins to a .118 efficiency, and service pressure was the culprit. Led by Shea and Lopez who had two apiece, the Skyhawks racked up six service aces and went after the backcourt to keep Westminster out of system for much of the match.

Individually, Alexis Hobie, who is no stranger to the feat, charted a double-double with a match-high 17 kills and 15 digs while hitting .400 on the pin. She was joined by junior Lauren Shea who put away 11 kills on 22 swings (.318) to go along with seven digs. Sophomore Natalia Lambos orchestrated an efficient offense with 34 assists (11.33/set) and three kills. Senior Kamryn Lopez was stout on defense, serve receive, and coverage from start to finish and ended the match with nine digs.

In the narrow loss to Mesa, the Skyhawks took the opening set before eventually falling in four. The difference-maker for the Skyhawks came at the service line where the team racked up 11 service aces—a season-high and the most since a 14-ace outing against Chadron State on October 1, 2021. Freshman Ella Butler served up a career-high six aces, bringing her season total to 30 and ranking third all-time in a four-set match. In addition to the dimes at the service line, the Skyhawks put up a season-high 13 blocks—a vast improvement on their mark of six blocks when the teams faced in September. Tonight's outing marked the most blocks in a four-set match since a 2014 match versus, you guessed it, Colorado Mesa.

Scouting Colorado Christian
The Cougars are 13-10 overall and 8-6 in conference play after dropping a pair of matches to nationally ranked-opponents last week. CCU sits in sixth place in league standings with four matches to play. Eight of the team's wins have come in three-set matches, and they are 2-1 in five-setters this season. The Cougars have taken on seven ranked foes this season, picking up one win over No. 16 Angelo State on August 30th.

CCU hits at a .234 clip as a team versus a .212 efficiency for their opponents. Libby Goodman is the team's leading attacker with 3.75 kills per set on a .275 hitting percentage. Lilly Woods follows with a team-high .328 percentage on 2.38 kills per set. Offense runs through Izzy Jones who is averaging 10.01 assists per set with a team-high 23 service aces. Madelyn Long holds it down on defense with 3.88 digs per set and a .931 reception percentage on 248 chances.

This will be first meeting between the teams this season. CCU claimed a 3-1 win over Fort Lewis on November 5, 2021 and leads the all-time series, 13-5. Fort Lewis last picked up a win over CCU in five sets on October 18, 2019. Kamryn Lopez had 24 digs in the win.

Scouting No. 1 MSU Denver
The Roadrunners return to the top spot in the AVCA Coaches Poll this week after formerly unbeaten Wayne State College fell in five sets over the weekend. MSU Denver is on a 15-match win streak to improve to 21-1 overall and 14-0 in the RMAC. MSU Denver's lone loss came at the hands of then No. 6 Concordia St. Paul at the Colorado Premier Challenge on September 3.

MSU Denver is hitting .295 as a team this season to rank first in the league while holding their opponents to a .115 efficiency. Rylee Hladky continues to dominate in all facets and holds a 3.62 kills per set clip. Hladky leads the team with 31 service aces to go along with 2.68 digs per set. Providing a balanced attack around Hladky, the Roadrunners have four players averaging over two kills per set this season. A pair of setters are splitting duties with Amela Qershai leading the pair at 6.07 assists per set.

Fort Lewis opened the home portion of its schedule with a 3-1 loss to MSU Denver on September 10th when the Roadrunnners were ranked fourth in the country. It was the Skyhawks' first time claiming a set from the formidable foe since a 3-1 loss in 2018. Fort Lewis trails the series 2-12 with the most recent win coming in 2013.

Inside the Numbers
Fort Lewis has surpassed its win total from a season ago with four matches remaining in the regular season. The team is hitting .147 which is an improvement on a .131 mark last season. Blocking is another notable category for the blue and gold this season as they are averaging 1.7 blocks per set—most since the 2019 season.

Sophomore Alexis Hobie has remained the hot hand in her sophomore campaign, averaging 3.35 kills per set on a .222 percentage—bettering her marks of 2.72 kills/set and a .119 efficiency last season. Junior Lauren Shea follows at 2.03 kills per set to go along with 21 service aces. Freshman Ella Butler has been a welcome addition in the front and back row with a team-high .75 blocks per set and 30 total aces to rank second in the conference. Senior Kamryn Lopez ranks ninth in the conference at 3.95 digs per set.

Fort Lewis is 7-0 when hitting over .180 this season and had a season-high .333 hitting efficiency in a 3-0 win over Western New Mexico in August. The team's eight more error-prone outings have all resulted in losses, four of which were five-set matches.

Around the RMAC
The conference has four teams ranked in the AVCA Division II Coaches Poll, released Monday. MSU Denver leads the way at No. 1, moving into the top spot after a loss from Wayne State College last week. From there, it's a cluster of Colorado programs from No. 17-21. It is Regis, Colorado Mesa, and Mines that team up to hold down the bottom portion of the poll. Receiving votes is CSU Pueblo for the seventh-consecutive week.

In the conference standings, the Skyhawks hold down the No. 8 spot. The top eight teams in the standings advance to the RMAC Tournament which is set to begin on Thursday, November 10.
 
2022 Women's Volleyball Standings
SCHOOL CONF CPCT. OVERALL PCT. STREAK
MSU Denver 14-0 1.000 21-1 .955 W15
Colorado Mesa 12-2 .857 17-4 .810 W9
Colorado School of Mines 12-2 .857 17-5 .773 W4
Regis 12-2 .857 16-6 .727 L1
CSU Pueblo 10-4 .714 17-5 .773 W1
Colorado Christian 8-6 .571 13-10 .565 L2
South Dakota Mines 6-8 .429 9-13 .409 L1
Fort Lewis 6-8 .429 8-12 .400 L1
UCCS 5-9 .357 10-12 .455 L1
Chadron State 5-9 .357 7-16 .304 L8
Adams State 5-10 .333 8-15 .348 L1
Westminster 3-11 .214 5-17 .227 L7
Black Hills State 3-11 .214 4-18 .182 L3
New Mexico Highlands 3-12 .200 6-17 .261 W2
Western Colorado 2-12 .143 3-18 .143 W1

Home finale on deck
The final two matches of the season will likely decide the postseason fate for the Skyhawks. The team welcomes Adams State University and New Mexico Highlands to Whalen Gymnasium on Friday and Saturday. Fort Lewis topped NMHU by a 3-1 final to open the conference portion of its schedule in early September but has not seen Adams State in the 2022 season.
 
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