DENVER, Colo. - Northwest Nazarene women's volleyball dropped the first set to Colorado Christian on Tuesday, but rallied to take the next two frames and eventually the match 3-2.

This was the fourth time this season that the Nighthawks have played to five sets, but the first one that NNU was able to emerge from with a victory. With the win, NNU improves to 4-7 on the year.

Colorado Christian took the first set 25-18, using a 9-3 run midway through the frame to earn the win. NNU bounced back to take the second set easily, though, putting together an 11-2 run early before running away with the set 25-15. 

The Nighthawks used that momentum to jump out to a 14-5 lead in the third set. The Cougars made it close late, but NNU was able to hold off CCU for a 25-21 win to go up two sets to one. The Cougars wouldn't go away quietly, though, battling back for a 25-19 set four win.

In the fifth and deciding set, the Nighthawks tallied the first three points on two CCU attack errors and a kill from Anna Gable. Moments later, another 3-0 run gave NNU a 7-3 lead after kills from Gable and Natalie Sullivan followed by another Cougar error. NNU was able to use that early advantage to roll to a 15-8 victory in the final frame, with an Abbey Blum kill punctuating the 3-2 win.

Blum led the Nighthawks' balanced attack with 11 kills, while five others tallied between five and nine kills on the night. Mckenzie Lee and Casey Kispert handled the setting duties, recording 23 and 16 assists, respectively. 

NNU's defense at the net was incredible, as the Nighthawks registered 19 total blocks. Tayler Markland led the way with 11 block assists and one solo denial, while Brooke Foster had eight block assists and Gable finished with seven. Caroline McMahon and Foster tied for the team lead with 16 digs apiece. 

The Nighthawks and Cougars will face each other again tomorrow, with match time set for 3:30 p.m. in Denver.