For the first time since 2016, the Colorado College volleyball team will not play in the championship match of the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference tournament.

The seventh-ranked Tigers staged a furious comeback after dropping the first two sets, but Southwestern University held on for a 25-10, 25-21, 19-25, 19-25, 15-11 victory in a semifinal match on Saturday afternoon.

Senior outside hitter Isabella Vasquez led the Tigers with a match-high 16 kills and completed her 12th double-double of the season with 18 digs.

Sophomore outside hitter Isabella Lipacis produced 13 kills and a team-high 21 digs for her 17 double-double of the year.

Senior middle hitter Georgia Mullins finished with 10 kills and improved her season to 455, which ranks sixth on the program's single-season chart. She completed her eighth double-double of the season with 14 digs.

Sophomore setter Jenny Jenks dished out 49 assists and improved her season total to 1,253, which ranks third on the program's single-season list.

The Pirates scored the first six points of the match and sailed through the first set. CC had a chance to pull even in the second set when they opened a 16-14 lead, but Southwestern rallied and snapped a 20-20 tie with a 5-1 run to take a two-set lead.

After falling behind 7-2 early in the third set, the Tigers answered with a 14-4 barrage. With the score even at 17-17, Colorado College utilized an 8-2 surge to extend the match.

The Tigers led throughout most of the fourth set, but the momentum did not carry over into the fifth.

CC forged six ties during the final set, but after a Lipacis block made the score 9-9, the Pirates scored six of the final eight points to close out the match.

Lauren Crabtree led Southwestern with 14 kills, while Emma White recorded a double-double with 13 kills and 14 digs.

The Pirates snapped a 12-match losing streak against Colorado College dating back to Nov. 12, 2016, in the SCAC tournament at Centenary College.
   
   
Colorado College Standouts
Kaylie Stuteville hit .417 with five kills on an error-free 12 swings.
Peyton Hummel finished with 17 digs.
 
Southwestern University Standouts
Jessica Kuras finished with 10 kills.
Katelyn Whitehead dished out 22 assists and had 16 digs.
 
Notes
Colorado College slipped to 28-5.
Southwestern University improved to 24-4.
 
Next for The Tigers
Colorado College faces Texas Lutheran University in the third-place match on Sunday at 9 a.m. MT.