Regis (CO) Regis 20-6,12-2 RMAC

CSU Pueblo CSU-P 13-13,10-4 RMAC

Regis (CO) Regis

20-6,12-2 RMAC

Final

Nov. 11, 2023

CSU Pueblo CSU-P

13-13,10-4 RMAC

Set Scores
Team	1	2	3	4	F
Regis (CO) Regis	25	22	25	25	(3)
CSU Pueblo CSU-P	22	25	14	23	(1)

Summary
Box Score

Caty Llamas, Regis Athletics

Regis middle blocker Nadine Burbrink (#14) led the Rangers in kills (12) and blocks (7) in Saturday's win (File Photo).

Game Recap: Volleyball | Nov 11 | David Wilson, Assistant AD-Communications

Regis middle blockers shine in No. 12 Rangers' 3-1 road win over CSU Pueblo to conclude regular season

PUEBLO, Colo. — The No. 12 ranked Regis University volleyball team notched its 20^th win of the season, and solidified itself as the No. 3 seed in next week's RMAC Tournament, with a gritty 3-1 road win over Colorado State University Pueblo on Saturday to conclude the 2023 regular season.

With the victory, Regis (20-6 overall, 12-2 RMAC) has now eclipsed the 20-win mark for the fifth time in six full seasons under head coach Joel List — the team only played 15 matches during 2020 due to the Covid-19 Pandemic — and has guaranteed itself a home playoff match on Tuesday against No. 6 seed Chadron State College.

"I think 20 wins is always the magic number for us, so to get that was great especially with our strength of schedule this year with those first two weekends being such big challenges," List said. "We're happy with where we're at and we got a good challenge (Saturday) from CSU Pueblo. Now we're looking forward to tournament time."

HOW IT HAPPENED
Saturday's contest was a game of runs for each team, with the Rangers being tested in a multitude of different scenarios whether it was holding on to a lead or overcoming deficits in their set wins.

In the first set, the Rangers appeared to be in cruise control up 22-11 following an 11-0 blitz that featured four service aces by junior defensive specialist Bre Skala.

CSU Pueblo would respond with an 8-0 run of its own, though, tightening the gap back to 22-19, and coming back within a point at 23-22, before the Rangers were able to salt away the 25-22 win.

The ThunderWolves were able to pull even in the match with a 25-22 win in Set Two, stacking a pair of mini 4-0 runs to initially tie the score at 19-19, and again to pull in front 23-21, to send the match into the Set Two break deadlocked at 1-1.

"To me, it was a big serve and pass game. We'd go on a run serving and then they would go on a run serving," List said. "CSU Pueblo is a pin dominant team with their outsides and right sides, so they were able to score some points off that. But then we were able to score with our middles and because of our versatility across the front row, we were able to adjust to that."

Led by a big night offensively and defensively by its middle blocking duo of Amelia Davis and Nadine Burbrink, Regis earned a dominant 25-14 win in Set Three and held off the pesky ThunderWolves for a 25-23 win in Set Four, punctuated by a solo block from Burbrink on match point.

Burbrink led the Rangers with 12 kills and seven total blocks (1 solo, 6 block assists), while Davis followed close behind with 11 kills and six block assists.

"They had a tiring match. As middles, they were having to run all over the place to block both pins on CSU Pueblo's hitters and then transition to offense. Some coaches might be happy with just good blocking from their middles. But to able able to transition to offense and get kills as well; then you're talking about some really good middles and that's what they did tonight," List said. "They were able to block well and, when we got digs, transition quickly to offense and get kills and that's not easy to do. They're pretty exhausted right now."

GAME NOTES

Regis won the blocking battle, 13-8.
The back line of the Regis defense was just as stout, finishing the evening with 59 digs and helping to limit the CSU Pueblo offense to a mere .099 hitting percentage.
Four Regis players finished with double-digit dig totals, led by setter Mara LeGrand with 13 digs to go with her 33 assists.
Skala recorded a career-high four aces on Saturday and tied LeGrand for the team lead with 13 digs.
Graduate student libero Haley Kennedy and freshman setter/defensive specialist Elie King each added 10 digs, as well.
The Rangers offense hit .216 on the night with 47 kills and just 17 attack errors on 139 total attempts.
Regis also held an 11-7 edge in service aces.

UP NEXT
The No. 3 seeded Rangers will now return home to get ready for the quarterfinal round of the 2023 RMAC Tournament, which gets underway at 7 p.m. Tuesday against No. 6 seed Chadron State College inside the Regis Fieldhouse.

Regis defeated the Eagles in four sets earlier this season when the two teams met in Denver on Oct. 7.

"Our mindset now is taking everything day-by-day and game-by-game. We'll prepare for Chadron State and that's the most important game of the year for us right now," List said. "We're happy to have the opportunity to play it at home and have a chance to close out our home schedule this year with a win."

HOW TO WATCH
The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) announced earlier this fall the addition of a subscription model to all 2023-24 RMAC championship broadcasts on the RMAC Network. The announcement comes after support from league leadership in the summer to implement the pay-per-view concept as a manner to offset the league's broadcasting initiatives and operations associated with championship events.

Fans will be able to purchase day passes for each day of tournament play, priced at $9.95 per day. To purchase the day pass, fans will navigate to www.rmacnetwork.com and will be directed to select the institution that they are supporting through their viewership. Once the payment submission is complete, fans will have access to any RMAC championship contest available for that specific sport. Day passes will expire within 24 hours of the purchase.

TICKETS
Those interested in buying tickets for Tuesday's quarterfinal match and ensuing RMAC Tournament matches may do so online at: https://rmacsports.org/tournaments/?id=232

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