DENVER, Colo. (November 11, 2021) – It was a tough night on the road for the Colorado State University Pueblo volleyball team as the squad dropped a four-set match to No.1 MSU Denver.
 
The dominant presence at the net set tone of the match early as the ThunderWolves (18-7, 12-5 RMAC) jumped out to an 8-3 lead in the first set. The Roadrunners (23-3, 17-0 RMAC) gave a push to cut the lead to two points before two kills from Kasey Jahnke (So., Glendale, Ariz.) and Hannah Delor (Jr., Marysville, Mich.) gave the Pack a 14-10 lead. The ThunderWolves tallied thirteen kills to the Roadrunners twelve and also recorded two serving aces to steal set one 25-19.
 
The ThunderWolves carried the momentum to the second set where they jumped on the Roadrunners 7-2. However, four unanswered points for the No.1 team in the nation tied the set at 10 points apiece before the Roadrunners took their first lead of the set. The ThunderWolves took advantage of some hitting errors and a service error from MSU Denver before a block from Jazzy Espinoza (Jr., Cheyenne, Wyo.) and Delor cut the Roadrunners lead to 20-17. MSU Denver then responded with a 5-1 run to tie the match at 1-1.
 
The third set was a back-and-forth affair for the first thirteen points before MSU Denver scored six straight points to jump to a 13-6 lead. A run by the Pack late in the set highlighted by an Espinoza kill followed with a block from Espinoza and Payton Stack (Sr., Casper, Wyo.) cut the lead to 23-18, but it was too late as the Roadrunners took set three 25-18.
 
With their backs against the wall, the ThunderWolves came out swinging in the fourth set, jumping out to an early 7-6 lead before another mid-set lapse gave the Roadrunners an 11-7 advantage. MSU Denver hit .355 on the set to cruise to a 25-17 win.
 
Espinoza led the Pack with seven kills and six blocks while Jahnke and Megan Mattingly (Fr., Phoenix, Ariz.) recorded five kills each. Three ThunderWolves tallied double-digit digs with Elaine Thibadeau (Jr., Monument, Colo.) with 17, Delor with 13, and Mattingly with 10.
 
The Pack will be back in action for their final regular season match tomorrow evening against Colorado Christian before getting ready to make a run next week in the RMAC tournament.