ThunderWolves now even at 3-3.

By CSU-Pueblo Athletics Media Relations

GUNNISON, Colo. (GoThunderWolves.com - Sept. 11, 2010) - Despite turning in strong efforts Saturday in non-conference matches vs. Dixie State and Western State, CSU-Pueblo couldn't rebound from strings of error-prone play, falling in five sets to Dixie before losing in four to Western State.

CSU-Pueblo had a great opportunity to take its second match from Dixie State in as many days, once again going to five sets to decide the victor.  The ThunderWolves even jumped out to a 6-3 lead in the deciding fifth set, but five attack errors down the stretch cost the Pack the set and the match, losing 15-11.

It capped a frustrating match for the ThunderWolves, which committed 53 combined service and attack errors to just 26 for Dixie State.

In the day's final match, a preview of the conference matches with Western State, errors again cost the Pack as CSU-Pueblo mounted 50 errors to just 31 for Western State.

Despite the losses, the day wasn't without impressive individual performances.  Tamia Herholz (So., Colorado Springs, Colo.) turned in a combined 29 kills over the two matches, but her combined 16 attack errors were costly.  Fellow outside hitter Alea Wildman (Jr., Denver, Colo.) turned in 25 kills, albeit with 21 attack errors, while middle blocker Bernadette Pitre (Jr., Clifton, Colo.) had 21 kills to 12 errors.

One bright spot from Saturday as well as the ThunderWolves' first six matches of the season - CSU-Pueblo has not been shut out in a single match so far this season, having won at least one set in each of their first six matches, the first time the ThunderWolves could make that claim since 1999, when the Pack reached the RMAC Semifinals.  It is also just the sixth time in school history that the team has gone through the first six matches of the season without getting shut out.

Now, CSU-Pueblo enters the conference portion of their schedule, opening up Thursday night at Colorado School of Mines, part of a three-match road swing to start their conference schedule.