DENVER - No. 23 Metropolitan State University of Denver put forth one of its best defensive efforts of the season to earn a 25-13, 22-25, 28-26, 25-23 win at Regis University on Friday night. It was the first win for the Roadrunners at Regis since 2011 and improved them to 16-3 overall and 10-1 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. The Rangers dropped to 14-5 overall and 9-2 in the RMAC. Both teams entered Friday in a four-way tie for first place in the RMAC.
MSU Denver had a season-high 87 digs as a team and allowed just three service aces, while outblocking Regis 13-to-6.
Savannah Garcia (Platteville, Colo./Valley H.S.) dug up 28 attacks by the Rangers and was 13-for-13 in serve-receive.
Kylie Haun (Simpsonville, S.C./Hillcrest H.S.), playing back row exclusively, had 16 digs and was 20-for-20 in serve-receive. Setter
Brandi Torr (Albuquerque, N.M./La Cueva H.S.) had 12 digs,
Summer Greager (Colorado Springs, Colo./Colorado Springs Christian H.S.) had 11 and
Jackie Lopez (Encino, Calif./Notre Dame H.S.) added 10. The collective defensive effort limited Regis to just a .102 hitting percentage.
Greager had a double-double, finishing as one of three Roadrunners in double digits in kills with 10.
Abbie Noland (Martinez, Calif./Campolindo H.S.) had a career-high 13 kills to lead the team, also adding seven digs.
Lauren Quijano (Wildomar, Calif./Elsinore H.S.) put down 11 kills and had a career-high nine blocks.
Kylee Hoagland (Mead, Colo./Skyline H.S.) chipped in with eight kills.
Torr had 42 assists.
MSU Denver came out on fire, hitting .409 in the first set, while holding the Rangers to minus-.049. Leading 18-13, the Roadrunners scored the final seven points with Haun serving.
Regis woke up in the second set to hit .271 and rally from down 21-20 to win.
The Roadrunners trailed 23-21 in the third set, before rallying to win 28-26. Noland had back-to-back kills to bring up set point, which was scored on a block from
Julia Dorsey (Auburn, Calif./Placer H.S.).
MSU Denver led 23-20 in the fourth before Regis rallied to tie the set at 23-23. Quijano's kill brought match point and the Roadrunners won on an attack error by the Rangers.
MSU Denver will play at UCCS at 5 p.m. on Saturday.
