GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. - The Colorado State University Pueblo Volleyball Team nearly pulled off an incredible comeback against Colorado Mesa University on Friday night, but eventually fell to the Mavericks three games to two.

With the loss, the ThunderWolves suffer their first Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference loss, falling to 10-5 overall, and 4-1 in RMAC play, while the Mavs improve to 12-3 overall, and 4-1 in the RMAC.

The ThunderWolves were led by in the stat category by their All-American Sadie Scoville (Pleasant Grove, Utah/Pleasant Grove), as the junior led the Pack with 11 kill, and also led the Pack in digs with 12 on the night.

Rayliene Joens (Elkhorn, Neb./Winona State) put together her fourth straight game in double-digits as the senior killer had 10 kills on the night, sparking the comeback for the ThunderWolves.

Hallie Hewlett (Bountiful, Utah/Bountiful) and Kendall Schmitz (Lee's Summitt, Mo./Arkansas-Fort Smith), also sparked the comeback for the Pack, as the two setters accumulated for 34 assists this evening.

ABOUT THE MATCH

CSU Pueblo quickly fell down 2-0 in the match after losing the first set 25-21, and the second set 25-16, but rallied to win the next two sets in dominate fashion to push the match to a fifth. 

Down two games to none and their backs agains the wall, an Austin Albers led squad knows one thing. Fight. And that is exactly what the Pack did.

CSU Pueblo found themselves down 17-13, looking like the match was all but over, but a 5-1 run tied the game at 18 apiece with kills from Scoville and Joens.

The Pack took their first lead of the set with a service error from the Mavs to put the Pack up 19-18.

Some back and forth between the Mavs and ThunderWolves foudn the score at 24-24, but the ThunderWolves put down the Mavs with kills from Kaitlyn Hall (Colorado Springs, Colo./Falcon) and Joens to eventually win the third 27-25.

In the fourth set, the Pack once again found themselves down in the match, trailing 15-12, but had another rally in the chamber.

The Pack rallied off four straight points with kills from from Joens, Joesey Nunn (Kingwood, Texas/Porter), and a few errors from Mesa to take a 16-15 lead.

CSU Pueblo never looked back once taking the lead, eventually extending their lead to four at 22-18 with kills from Hall.

Up 22-18, the Pack eventually put down the Mavs, winning the fourth 25-21.

The ThunderWolves had a lead in the fifth, up 5-4, but a timeout from Colorado Mesa sparked the Mavs, as Mesa went on an 8-0 run to make the score 12-5, which deflated the ThunderWolves.

Colorado Mesa eventually took the final set 15-7 to win the match three games to two, stopping the ThunderWolves comeback.