COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- The Nebraska Wesleyan volleyball team completed an unbeaten weekend on arguably the most important weekend of the season as they knocked off a pair of nationally-ranked opponents on Saturday (Oct. 4) at the Pikes Peak Challenge in Colorado Springs, Colo.

NWU blanked No. 9 Christopher Newport, 3-0, then rallied back for a 3-2 over the host school, #11 Colorado College.  The Prairie Wolves, ranked No. 22 in the AVCA/DIII poll, finish the NCAA III portion of the schedule with a perfect 12-0 record against division III competition as they improve their resume for an at-large berth to the NCAA III Tournament.

Playing against the No. 9 team in the country, the Prairie Wolves took the first set 25-22, then rolled toa  25-10 win before sealing the win with a 25-19 victory in the third set.  Katelyn Walsh had nine kills in the match with Alyssa Stanek adding seven kills and seven blocks.

Things didn't look as good in the final match of the challenge as NWU fell behind two sets to none against the host school Colorado College.  Colorado College, which defeated NWU twice last year, won each of the first two sets in scores of 25-19.

NWU then came back for an easy 25-15 win in the third set and a 25-20 win in set for to send the match to a deciding fifth set.    The fifth set was tied 12 times as it was a nail-biting finish down the end.  An error by Colorado College gave NWU the 15-14 lead, then Malory Dahl sealed the win with a kill for the final score of 16-14.

Four different players had double digit kills for NWU led by Walsh with 15.  Stanek had 14, Dahl 12 and Alexa Rosenau had a triple-double of 11 kills, 32 assists and 12 digs.  Mackenzie Ashton had a match-high 18 digs and Stanek added six blocks