The Avalanche women didn't exactly ease their way into the second semester.

Their home series against the Douglas Royals needed 10 sets, which is a lot of volleyball coming off a month-and-a-half long break.

"In practice (Monday), they were very, very tired," said head coach Lisa Ramsey, who plans to work on team fitness over the next couple of weeks. The College of the Rockies teams are not in action again until Feb. 4, because of a bye and a schedule hole made when Selkirk College pulled out.

Last weekend, Douglas wound up winning both the matches in the fifth and deciding set.

On Friday, COTR held a 2-1 set lead, but Douglas came back to win 25-19, 23-25, 24-26, 25-18, 15-10.

Justine Rundberg was the only member of the Avalanche with a positive kill efficiency (a function of successful kills versus errors).

Rundberg had a sterling 20 kills that night, personally accounting for 46 per cent of the Avalanche's entries in that statistical line.

"She did really well - a first-year athlete stepping up. It was just unfortunate the others weren't able to help her out," said Ramsey. "She was hungry, she went for the ball. Rylee (Newlove) set really well and gave Justine the chance to attack the ball, and she came through for us."

The team's kill efficiency improved on Saturday, with four players getting into positive territory.

Newlove was playing her first matches at setter.

"I can't say enough about it," said Ramsey. "Setting is not an easy position. You're a quarterback, you're required to be able to run an offence."

She said Newlove really improved from practice to game play.

"Whether it was adrenaline or whatever it was, she was getting behind the ball, she was pushing it outside? She was a little nervous and excited at the same time at the very start. She really just settled in, and did tremendously well."

The Avs needed to push the ball to the outside to get past the Royals' block; four Douglas players are six-foot or taller.

Ramsey said they also needed to start tipping and be creative at the net.

"Unfortunately, when you're young, creativity in clutch moments doesn't come easily. You do what you're used to doing, which is just hitting a ball," said Ramsey.

In the first match, Paige Frederickson came up with a team-high 20 digs.

The next afternoon, the Royals took a two-set lead before the Avalanche tied the match at two apiece. Douglas ran away with the final set 15-6.

Ramsey said her team had struggled at being intense in the face of a 'boring' team Friday, but improved on that Saturday.

They also wreaked havoc on Douglas' passing by serving tough. Steph Barker led the charge there, dishing out three of COTR's 12 aces.

Andi Taylor led the Avs in kills with eight. Becca Christiansen, Rundberg and Barker each had six, while Christiansen also had four blocks.

The Royals earned their first two wins of the season, denying the Avs their own shot at the distinction.

"This is what happens when you're building a team, and it's a young team every year," said Ramsey. "If they're able to click all at once, that's great. Usually that will come out as a win."