Liberty put a damper on Colorado Springs Christian School’s plans to put a cap on a quick victory and start getting ready for the homecoming dance.

Down 7-0 and then 24-18, the Pikes Peak No. 6 Lancers rallied to win the third game. But they failed to carry that momentum forward, as No. 5 CSCS finished it out Saturday for a 25-21, 25-17, 26-28, 25-14 win.

The six-time defending 3A state champions suffered their first loss in 59 matches last weekend against 5A Grandview, so the win over 5A Liberty was a confidence booster for the Lions (8-1).

“It’s definitely nice,” CSCS senior Alijah Mulitauopele said. “But we know there are other teams out there that are coming for us.”

Liberty (12-2), which lost its first match of the season earlier in the week to No. 1 Pine Creek, looked to be one of them in the third game.

Showing its first real proof of life since a close loss in Game 1, the Lancers won four consecutive points to pull within 16-13 as KK Lo kept the Lions off-balance with two aces.

“I think as a team, we play to where we are content,” Mulitauopele said. “But I think we need to fight harder and go get it. And we didn’t do that.”

The Lancers pulled to within three points five more times, but didn’t break through until Lo was back at the service line with Liberty down 24-20. A few CSCS miscues and a kill from Jessie Lukso tied the game at 24.

CSCS regained the lead at 25-24 on Stephanie Schlis’ slam from the middle. But Lukso helped give the Lancers a 26-25 lead on a block and dig on consecutive plays. CSCS tied it again at 26, but Liberty’s Kristen Lee finished the 28-26 win with two big outside hits.

“We’re pretty good at fighting back,” Lukso said. “When we’re ahead, we don’t play as well as when we’re down. We like to push harder, I guess.”

CSCS jumped out to a 10-2 lead in the fourth game. A tip to the corner by Lukso pulled Liberty to within six at 18-12, but they would not get any closer the rest of the way.

“If we don’t get frustrated, then we just pull through usually,” said Lukso, who finished with nine kills, 14 digs and two blocks. “But we got frustrated today. We couldn’t pass, we couldn’t do anything. That’s not like us. We’re usually better than that.”

Liberty had 10 unforced errors in Game 1, which ended on Lauren Santarelli’s emphatic kill. Santarelli, who had 13 kills for the Lions, also ended Game 2 on a spike.

Summer Greager had a team-high 18 kills for CSCS and Mulitauopele added 12. Lee led Liberty with 13 kills and 15 digs.

Doug Logan was fired this month as chief executive officer of USA Track & Field, and his possible successor, USA Track & Field president and chair Stephanie Hightower, has drawn the ire of the U.S. Olympic Committee, which doesn’t like the idea of a board member rising to CEO. Mike McNees is serving as interim CEO of USA Track & Field. Photo by COURTESY OF USA TRACK & FIELD

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