DENVER - The No. 1 MSU Denver volleyball team fell to No. 16 Colorado Mesa 3-1 on Saturday afternoon in a non-conference match.

The Mavericks jumped out to an early lead in the first set scoring the first six points.  MSU Denver would pick up their scoring and cut the Colorado Mesa lead to four points at 13-9 after a kill by Riley Anderson.  Unfortunately for the Roadrunners, the Mavericks would go on a run of their own scoring 11 of the next 14 points.  MSU Denver tried to mount a comeback late, but they would fall short with Colorado Mesa taking the first set 25-16.

The second set was a back-and-forth affair.  The score would be tied 16 separate times with the last one coming at 20-20.  Annika Helf would come up with a kill and then Colorado Mesa's Sydney Leffler would commit an attacking error.  Delaney Eckhardt put the Roadrunners up 23-20 after a service ace.  MSU Denver would go on to win the set 25-21.

The Roadrunners once again came out to a slow start in the third set and trailed 10-4.  MSU Denver would make a comeback and tie the set at 13-13 following kills by Helf, Maddy Williams, and Alyssa Boyte.  Colorado Mesa would answer with another offensive explosion, scoring 11 of the next 13 points.  MSU Denver would rally late, however the Mavericks would prevail 25-20.

The deciding fourth set saw MSU Denver fall behind early only to battle back to bring the score to 14-13 in favor of Colorado Mesa.  The Mavericks once again would put together a big run scoring ten of the next 13 points to put Colorado Mesa on the brink of a victory at 24-16.  MSU Denver made one more attempt at a comeback, but fell short if the final set of the match 25-18.

Senior Riley Anderson led the Roadrunners with a match-high 11 kills on the night.  Junior Annika Helf was the only other Roadrunner to notch double-digit kills with ten.  Freshman Alyssa Boyte had a solid match for MSU Denver hitting .429 on the night and assisting on nine blocks.

The loss drops the Roadrunners to 20-2 overall.

MSU Denver will play two matches next week.  The Roadrunners travel to UCCS on Friday, November 8 and then return home for Senior Day against Regis on Saturday, November 9.  Senior Day activities will take place prior to the start of the match at 4 p.m.  Tickets can be purchased at http://RoadrunnersAthletics.com/Tickets.