San Angelo, Texas – The Metropolitan State University of Denver volleyball team fell 3-2 to Arkansas-Fort Smith on Thursday afternoon in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

The Roadrunners were led by senior Kylie Haun (Simpsonville, S.C./Hillcrest H.S.).  Haun racked up 22 kills and 32 digs in the match.  The 22 kills ties her career-high and the 32 digs is the most in her career.  Junior Michaela Smith (Littleton, Colo./Regis Jesuit H.S.) was the only other Roadrunner to tally double-digit kills with 15.  Junior Keirstyn Anderson (Prospect, Ore./Del Norte H.S.) had a career-high 33 digs and junior Brandi Torr (Albuquerque, N.M./La Cueva H.S.) dished out 57 assists in the match.

MSU Denver struggled to find a rhythm in the first set.  The Roadrunners trailed 13-11 following a kill by Haun before Arkansas-Fort Smith would go on an 8-2 run making the score 21-13.  MSU Denver would not be able to overcome the deficit and fell 25-16 in the first set.

Set two would be a back-and-forth match with MSU Denver down 12-8.  Junior Vasati Fiatoa (Las Vegas, Nev./Bonanza H.S.) would get a kill and spark a 5-0 run for the Roadrunners.  The Roadrunners would again find themselves down 22-20 late in the match.  MSU Denver would finish the match on a 5-1 run and Haun would get two kills over that stretch to take the set 25-23.

The third set saw the Roadrunners fall behind 10-8.  MSU Denver would rattle off the next seven points to take a 15-10 lead.  The Roadrunners would not trail again in the set and go on to win 25-22.

Arkansas-Fort Smith was able to find some momentum in the fourth set.  The Roadrunners trailed 15-14 before two separate 4-0 runs by Arkansas-Fort Smith put MSU Denver down 24-16.  The Roadrunners would make an attempt at a comeback, but would fall 25-18.

The deciding set was tied 4-4 after a Haun kill.  Arkansas-Fort Smith would heat up offensively scoring the next five points on four kills and a service ace.  MSU Denver would cut the lead to three on two occasions, but could not overcome Arkansas-Fort Smith.  MSU Denver fell in the final set 15-10.

The Roadrunners finish the season 20-12 overall.  MSU Denver has made 16 consecutive appearances in the NCAA tournament.