Michigan Tech

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Michigan Tech volleyball team opened its weekend at the Mountain Lion Classic with a five-set loss to tournament host University of Colorado Colorado Springs. The Huskies won sets three and four to force the fifth, before the hosts won 15-10 in the final frame.

"We put up a good fight against a tough team that was in-system for most of the match," Tech coach Cindy Pindral said after competing against her alma mater. "We didn't really find our groove until about set three, but I'm proud of the way that we never gave up and continued to battle even when we weren't feeling our best."
 
Sisters Amelia and Charlette Albers faced off. Amelia is a senior defensive specialist for the Huskies, and Charlette is a sophomore setter for the Mountain Lions.
 
The match had 33 ties and 13 lead changes. Tech held a setpoint in the opening frame, before UCCS scored four of the final five points for a 27-25 win. Rachel Zurek had six kills.
 
The home team built a sizeable lead in the second set after hitting .542 to win 25-13.
 
There were 12 ties and six lead changes in the third. Knotted at 22, the Huskies got a pair of blocks by Reagan Lesley and Tricia Kennedy and a kill by Kayla Heinonen to keep the match alive, 25-23. Rachel Zurek tallied six kills again.
 
Tech led most of the fourth and forced its third five-set match of the season after a 25-21 win. Reagan Lesley was the spark with four kills on six attacks while adding a pair of digs.
 
UCCS never trailed in the fifth and won their second match of the season.
 
Rachel Zurek finished with 17 kills to lead the Huskies offensively. Kayla Heinonen added 11 kills and nine digs. Paige Wagner also had double-digit kills with 10. Madelynn Kreider tallied 37 assists and 17 digs. Keeley Nellis (18) and Amelia Albers (11) also had double-digit digs.
 
Payton Tompkins had a match-high 18 kills, Charlette Albers set the attack with 23 assists, and Alysse Marcoso had 32 digs.
 
Tech plays a pair of matches on Friday against St. Edward's at 11 a.m. Eastern and South Dakota Mines at 6:30 p.m. Eastern.