DENVER – The Colorado Premier Challenge began on Friday morning with 12 teams competing to take home the Colorado Premier Championship trophy at the end of the tournament. The Regis University volleyball team (3-3) faced off with the No. 2 ranked Angelo State University Belles (6-0) in their first match of the day, losing in straight sets. The team then bounced back and won a three-set match against the Lynn University Fighting Knights (3-2) in the evening match.
 
GAME ONE | Regis 0, No. 2 Angelo State University 3
How it Happened: It was a rough way to start the day for the Rangers as they fell to the No. 2 ranked Belles in straight-sets. Throughout the whole game, Angelo State's defense at the net was impenetrable, and that presented a major challenge for RU hitters. In the opening set, Regis finished with a -.077 hitting percentage with 12 errors and only nine kills. This helped the Belles earn a 25-18 win in the first set.
 
After dropping the first set, the Rangers came out a little stronger in the second set, but the Angelo State offense ramped up as well. RU had 12 kills in the second set, but ASU tallied 16 kills of their own with a .297 hitting percentage. The second set went to the Belles, 25-20, as Regis posted a .108 hitting percentage.
 
Unfortunately, the woes continued in the third set for the home team. Angelo State put together their best set of the day as they were firing on all cylinders. The Rangers tried to stop their offense, but the Belles offense just hit right through their defense, finding holes and winning long rallies. RU lost the final set of the match 25-15. 
 
Game Notes: The Regis offense posted a final hitting percentage of .043 while ASU produced a .317 hitting percentage. One of the craziest stats of the match is that the Belles recorded 15 total blocks as a team while the Rangers finished with four. Junior Nadine Burbrink had a great game as she tallied a team-high eight kills (.313 H%) a service ace, and three total blocks. Junior Mara LeGrand posted another double-double with 29 assists and a team-best 12 digs in the match.
 
GAME TWO | Regis 3, vs. Lynn University 0
 
How it Happened: After a rough start to the Colorado Premier Challenge, Regis responded with a very impressive 3-0 win over the Fighting Knights of Lynn University, 27-25, 25-19 and 25-23.
 
The Rangers fell behind in the opening set 6-1, but following a service error from Lynn, RU rallied to tie the game at eight points apiece. They did not take their first lead of the match until sophomores Maddy Mallory and Halle Theis combined for a huge block to take a 15-14 lead in set one. Later, three-straight kills from junior Nadine Burbrink, junior Mara LeGrand and Theis gave Regis a 20-17 advantage. The set reached a tie score at 25 following a big swing from senior Rachel Siurek. Burbrink followed with a kill of her own, and then the Rangers capped off the first set win with a block from Burbrink and Siurek that ended the set.
 
In the second set, RU was the team that jumped out in front early on, scoring the first five points of the set. The lead reached eight-points when a solo block and a bad set from the Fighting Knights put Regis in front 21-13. The Rangers closed out the set with a 25-19 win to take a 2-0 set lead into the third set.
 
What turned out to be the final set of the evening included a great come from behind finish to close out the set. RU trailed 18-12 late in the set, but they never gave up. It was a remarkable 6-0 run from Regis late in the set when they trailed 22-18 that gave the team the momentum they needed to carry out the sweep. Burroway got the run started with a kill, and then Mallory and Siurek followed that up with a big block. An attack error by Lynn accompanied by another vicious kill from Siurek ties the set at 22. Theis and Mallory blocked an attack from the Fighting Knights, and then Burroway aced her serve to bring up match-point for the Rangers. After a point was scored for the visitors, Theis closed out the three-set sweep in style with her sixth kill of the match as RU beat Lynn 25-23.
 
Game Notes: Mallory set a career-high with 11 kills in the match, hitting .273 overall with five blocks, matching her career-best. Burroway also had 11 kills, adding seven digs with a solo block and a service ace on top of it all. Junior Haley Kennedy led the team with 15 digs and three service aces, and graduate student Sophie Griese tallied a season-high 11 in the win. Freshman Bre Skala had eight digs, and LeGrand finished with seven. LeGrand also totaled 37 assists (12.33/set) and also collected four kills without committing an error.
 
Up Next for the Rangers: The Regis University volleyball team will play in the Silver Bracket of the Colorado Premier Challenge tomorrow on the campus of Metropolitan State University of Denver. The Silver and Bronze Brackets will be hosted at MSU Denver while the Gold Bracket moves to the Regis University Field House. The Rangers will matchup with the fifth-ranked Flyers of Lewis University at 11:30 am.  
 
Visit the Colorado Premier Challenge Tournament Central Page for all of the details.