Box Score Lakewood, Colo – The Metropolitan State University of Denver volleyball team defeated Colorado Christian 3-2 on Saturday night to advance to 14-7 overall and 11-2 in the RMAC.
 
Junior Santaisha Sturges (Parker, Colo./Regis Jesuit H.S.) led all players with a game-high 24 kills on the night.  Junior Stephanie Laraway (Lakewood, Colo./Lakewood H.S.) and freshman Alexis Benda (Las Cruces, N.M./Orate H.S.) had 12 kills and 11 kills, respectively.  The Roadrunners racked up 110 digs in the match led by senior Jackie Lopez (Encino, Calif./Notre Dame H.S.) with 34 digs.
 
The Roadrunners fell in the first set 25-20.  MSU Denver trailed by only two points after a serving error by the Cougars, 14-12.  A combination of MSU Denver errors and Colorado Christian kills allowed the Cougars to build a 23-14 lead.  The Roadrunners would rally late, but they would come up short in the first set.
 
MSU Denver bounced back to claim victory in the second set, 25-20.  The set was tied at 12-12 before the Roadrunners would take control with 9-1 run that featured kills by five different players.  The match was tied 1-1 after the first two sets.
 
Colorado Christian was able to go up 2-1 after winning the third set 25-21.  MSU Denver took an early 5-1 lead, but would not be able to hold off the Cougars.  Colorado Christian came storming back and tied the set at 7-7.  Following a 12-12 tie, the Cougars would take the lead and not look back.  MSU Denver was able to close the gap to within one point late in the set, 20-19, following a kill by Laraway.  However, Colorado Christian was able to take a 2-1 lead in the match after holding off the Roadrunners.
 
With their backs against the wall, the Roadrunners won the fourth set 25-22 to tie the match at 2-2.  Sturges took control late in the set scoring four of the Roadrunners final six points to force the deciding fifth set.
 
The final set was dominated by MSU Denver with the Roadrunners picking up a 15-6 win to claim the 3-2 victory in the match.  The trio of Sturges, Laraway, and Benda combined for six kills in the final set.  Sturges also added two service aces in the final set.
 
MSU Denver will travel to Rapid City, S.D. on Friday, October 27 to take on S.D. School of Mines.  Game time is set for 7 p.m.