GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (April 9, 2021) – The No. 25 Colorado State University Pueblo volleyball team suffered a 3-0 loss to No. 3 Metro State University of Denver Friday in the semifinals of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Tournament in Grand Junction, Colorado. 
 
The three-seeded ThunderWolves (11-4) lost 22-25, 13-25 and 21-25 to the two-seeded Roadrunners (15-1). Neither team hit the ball very well, as MSU Denver had a .175 hitting percentage and the Pack recorded a .010 percentage. 
 
Errors proved costly for CSU Pueblo, as they totaled 38 errors in the match. 
 
Maddy Wisniewski (Sr., OH/RS, Highlands Ranch, Colo.) led the team with six kills and three block assists. 
 
This season made some history as the Pack cracked the American Volleyball Coaches Association NCAA Division II poll for the first time since 1998 and were ranked No. 25 this week. The 9-2 RMAC record earned the ThunderWolves the No. 3 seed in the RMAC Tournament. The last time the Pack were in the top three for the league championship was 1997. 
 
Post Match Quote
 
"This was just a bittersweet ending to a strong season," said Head Coach Austin Albers. "We didn't perform particularly well today, but overall we have to be pleased with the leap forward that we took in a year full of challenges."
 
"We accomplished our goal of being healthy and available to play all of our matches. Our team sacrificed a lot in a year that demanded more discipline than we've ever asked of them and I am probably more proud of that than anything. In a year that 'didn't count' our players sure treated it like it did and that will serve us well as we build toward our next step forward in the fall."

Individual Highlights
 
Jazzy Espinoza (Jr., MB, Cheyenne, Wyo.) and Payton Stack (Sr., OPP, Casper, Wyo.) each added three block assists and had one kill. 
 
Elaine Thibadeau (Jr., L, Monument, Colo.) led the team with 16 digs. She also had five assists and an ace. 
 
Summary
 
The Roadrunners held a 10-6 lead early in set one, then a 5-2 run by the Pack had them trailing 12-11. MSU Denver took the next two points and then the teams went back and forth for the remainder of the match, as the ThunderWolves would never be able to get closer than two points in the 25-22 loss.
 
MSU Denver started out with a 4-0 run to open set two, but the ThunderWolves got back in it and trailed 10-7. Another 4-0 stretch by the Roadrunners then put the set in their hands, as they raced to a 25-13 victory. 
 
CSU Pueblo scored the first two points of set three and following a couple of MSU Denver errors were leading 12-8. The Pack maintained a small lead and after Stack and Bailey Combs (So., OPP, Fresno, Calif.) combined for a block the ThunderWolves were ahead 17-14. 
 
The Roadrunners responded with a 4-0 run for their first lead of the set at 18-17. The contest was tied 21-21 following a blocking effort by Espinoza and Wisniewski, but it would prove to be the final point the Pack would score for the season, as MSU Denver claimed the final four points for the 25-21 set and match victory. 
 
-- PACK –