Colorado University Athletics
Colorado
Texas-Arlington
Spikers Go 2-0 to Open PowerBar
September 12, 2002 | Volleyball
The University of Colorado volleyball team (5-4) beat the University of Texas-Arlington (4-4) 30-20, 30-28, 28-30, 30-16, in the second session of the eighth annual Colorado PowerBar Invitational Friday night at the Coors/Events Conference Center here in Boulder. Bowling Green (3-3) beat Maine (3-5) 30-24, 30-22, 30-22 in the earlier match.
The Buffaloes dominated the Mavericks in games one and two, out-killing UTA 38-28 in the first two games, but allowed the momentum to shift in game three.
"We talked about just coming out and playing our game," Colorado head coach Pi'i Aiu said of his talk with the team between games three and four. "We really broke down in some of the areas that we usually excel in during the third game. We know that we have to come out in every game now and play the way we know how."
Looking past a let-down in game three, the Buffs shined in the match that saw four separate individuals claim double-figure kill totals, the first time that has happened this season. Junior middle blocker Moniquue Gerlach tallied a season-high 17 kills on the night, while senior left side Kim Taskey grabbed 14 and senior middle Meghan Barkman tallied 13.
Freshman right side hitter Nicole Carr stole the show though, as she took home a 20-20 performance, tallying 20 kills and 24 digs on the night. Carr, a Wauwatosa, Wis., native, is just the second freshman in CU history to record a match with 20 kills and 20 digs since Karrie Downing accomplished the feat twice in 1991, lastly against Kansas on November 15 when she totaled 28 kills and 21 digs. Overall, it was the first 20-20 performance since Sonja Russell had 26 kills and 21 digs vs. Georgia Tech in the 2000 NCAA Tournament on Dec. 1, 2000.
Senior setter Elizabeth Gower grabbed a double-double against UTA with a season-high 56 assists and 10 digs on the match. Taskey also registered a double-double on the night, taking home 22 digs. Friday night was the first time two Buffs have had 20-plus dig matches since Oct. 10, 2000, when Barkman (20), Russell (28), and Lisa Small (22) all ripped it up on defense.
Colorado concludes PowerBar play Saturday night when they face Maine following the match between Texas-Arlington and Bowling Green. Tip-off for the first match is scheduled for 5 p.m., and CU is slated to start at 7. The Buffs will then look to open Big 12 action against Baylor in Waco, Texas, on Wednesday, Sept. 18.
