DURANGO, Colo. – With a postseason berth on the line, the Fort Lewis College volleyball team returns to Whalen Gymnasium for its final two matches of the 2026 regular season, hosting Colorado Christian University on Friday, Nov. 6, at 6 p.m. before closing out the campaign against Colorado State University Pueblo on Saturday, Nov. 7, at 5 p.m.

The Skyhawks enter the final weekend with a 6-6 record in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) play, sitting eighth in the league standings with two matches remaining. With the top eight teams advancing to the RMAC Tournament, Fort Lewis controls its postseason destiny and has an opportunity to secure its place in the conference championship field in front of its home crowd.

Colorado Christian enters the weekend tied for fifth in the RMAC at 8-4, while CSU Pueblo sits directly behind Fort Lewis in ninth place at 5-7, setting the stage for a pair of matches with significant postseason implications.

Postseason Picture

With seven teams having already secured their places in the eight-team RMAC Tournament, Fort Lewis, CSU Pueblo, and Western Colorado remain in contention for the final postseason berth.

The Skyhawks have several paths to the tournament, including:

• Two wins: Fort Lewis finishes 8-6 in conference play and clinches a postseason berth, with a potential seed ranging from fifth through eighth.

• A Friday loss and Saturday win: Fort Lewis finishes 7-7 and secures the No. 8 seed regardless of other results.

• A Friday win and Saturday loss: Fort Lewis qualifies as the No. 8 seed if CSU Pueblo loses its Friday matchup against Western Colorado. If the ThunderWolves win Friday and defeat Fort Lewis Saturday, CSU Pueblo claims the final berth through the head-to-head tiebreaker.

• Two losses: Fort Lewis could still qualify through a three-team tiebreaker at 6-8, but would need Western Colorado to win both matches and Black Hills State to win no more than one. The final conference set-winning percentage would determine the eighth seed.

The most straightforward route for the Skyhawks is a victory over CSU Pueblo on Saturday, which would guarantee a tournament berth regardless of Friday's result.

Seven teams have already punched their postseason tickets: MSU Denver, Colorado School of Mines, Colorado Mesa, UCCS, South Dakota Mines, Colorado Christian, and Adams State.

The RMAC Tournament begins Tuesday, Nov. 10, with quarterfinal matches hosted by the top four seeds. The semifinals and championship are scheduled for Nov. 13-14 at the home of the highest remaining seed.

By the Numbers

Fort Lewis has averaged 12.74 kills, 11.68 assists, 16.36 digs, and 1.47 service aces per set in its available cumulative season statistics, hitting .191 as a team. The Skyhawks have totaled 1,032 kills, 1,325 digs, and 119 service aces through 22 matches in that statistical snapshot.

Senior Alina Nunez has anchored the Skyhawks' offense with 278 kills, averaging 3.43 per set while hitting .244. Senior Jordan DeJesus follows with 194 kills (2.69 per set), while sophomore Caroline Munson has added 164 kills at a team-leading .312 hitting percentage.

At setter, junior Addie Garn has dished out a team-high 528 assists and has running a one-setter offense since October. Defensively, sophomore Alyx Daugherty has led the back row with 437 digs, averaging 5.40 per set, while adding a team-high 29 service aces. Nunez follows with 187 digs, while Garn and DeJesus have contributed 137 and 135, respectively.

At the net, senior Ellie Ames has recorded 47 total blocks to go along with 106 kills and a .246 hitting percentage. Munson follows with 46 blocks, while Nunez has added 31.

Scouting Colorado Christian

Colorado Christian enters Friday's matchup with an 8-4 conference record, tied with South Dakota Mines for fifth in the RMAC standings. The Cougars have already secured a postseason berth but remain in contention for a top-four seed and the opportunity to host a quarterfinal match.

Through 12 conference contests, Colorado Christian has compiled a 27-20 set record, winning 57.4 percent of its sets. The Cougars can finish as high as the No. 3 seed with a pair of victories during the final weekend.

Sienna Thatcher leads the offensive attack with 224 kills, averaging 2.95 per set while hitting .236. Suzanna Conner follows with 199 kills (2.49 per set) and a .239 hitting percentage, while Connelly Kilgore has added 165 kills. Krista Traynor has directed the offense with 578 assists, averaging 7.23 per set, while contributing 136 kills, 212 digs, and a team-high 32 service aces.

Defensively, Allie Allen leads the Cougars with 215 digs (3.36 per set), followed by Traynor with 212. Ana Aguilar has provided a strong presence at the net, recording 52 total blocks while averaging 1.13 per set.

The Skyhawks will look to avenge a five-set loss to Colorado Christian on Oct. 24, when Fort Lewis claimed the opening two sets before the Cougars rallied to take the match. Following Friday's meeting with Fort Lewis, Colorado Christian will travel to Gunnison to face Western Colorado on Saturday.

Scouting CSU Pueblo

Saturday's matchup with CSU Pueblo carries the most direct postseason implications for both programs. The ThunderWolves enter the final weekend at 5-7 in RMAC play, one match behind Fort Lewis in the standings. CSU Pueblo has compiled a 22-23 record in conference sets, winning 48.9 percent.

Lilly Zwart leads the offense with 295 kills, averaging 3.04 per set while hitting .238. Brianna Pino follows with 234 kills (2.52 per set), while Finja Schul has contributed 200 kills and a team-leading .294 hitting percentage among the ThunderWolves' primary attackers.

Schul has also been a significant contributor at the net, leading CSU Pueblo with 109 total blocks, averaging 1.12 per set. Andi Nothdurft follows closely with 106 blocks (1.09 per set), giving the ThunderWolves a strong defensive presence in the middle.

The offense has been directed by Kendall Schmitz and Madison Gardner, who have recorded 417 and 319 assists, respectively. In the back row, Chinaru Pao leads the ThunderWolves with 420 digs, averaging 4.33 per set, while Kacee Garcia has added 169 digs.

Fort Lewis previously defeated CSU Pueblo in four sets on Sept. 5 in Pueblo and will look to complete the season sweep on Saturday. Before traveling to Durango, the ThunderWolves will face Western Colorado in Gunnison on Friday. A pair of wins would move CSU Pueblo to 7-7 and secure the eighth and final tournament berth.

Around the RMAC

MSU Denver leads the conference standings at 11-1, followed by Colorado School of Mines and Colorado Mesa at 10-2. UCCS sits fourth at 9-3, while South Dakota Mines and Colorado Christian are tied for fifth at 8-4.

Adams State occupies seventh place at 7-5 and has already clinched a postseason berth, leaving Fort Lewis, CSU Pueblo, and Western Colorado battling for the final tournament position.

In addition to the race for the eighth seed, several teams remain in contention for the RMAC regular-season championship and quarterfinal hosting rights, making the final weekend consequential throughout the league.

With postseason qualification and tournament seeding still unsettled, the Skyhawks will look to capitalize on their final two home matches and carry momentum into the conference tournament.