BOULDER?The University of Colorado (7-7, 3-6 Big 12) volleyball team defeated the 20th-ranked Kansas State Wildcats (14-4, 5-3 Big 12) here tonight at the Coors Events Center 30-14, 30-25, 25-30, 28-30, 15-5. It was the first win over a CSTV/AVCA Division I Coaches Top 25 Poll for the Buffs in over a year. The last ranked team CU defeated was Kansas State on Sept. 15, 2004, when KSU was ranked 15th. The match was the fourth consecutive five-game contest for the Buffs and was the first time CU has ever played four five-game matches in a row. The contest was also the sixth five-game tilt for the Buffs this season and ties a season-high set in 2003.
The Buffs got off to a 5-1 start in the first game with kills from Lara Bossow, Allie Griffin and two from Nicole Carr. CU kept going and increased its lead to 13-4 and forced KSU to take a timeout. Kelly Masumiya served an ace for the Buffs out of the timeout and two Wildcat errors made the game 16-4. The Wildcats scored three consecutive points, but a kill from Griffin got a side out for the Buffs. Colorado took a 12-point lead at 22-10 and Kansas State took its second timeout of the game. The Buffs added five points off the timeout and finished off the game at 30-14 with a kill from Bossow. The Buffaloes hit .448 and held the Wildcats to .000. Bossow and Lauren Schaefer each notched four kills in the frame.
The second game started a little more even with each side exchanging points until the Buffs took an 8-5 lead. The Wildcats tied the game at 8-8 and took the lead at 9-8. Colorado took its first timeout at 8-10. Amber Sutherland's kill off of the timeout and an error by Kansas State tied the game once again. The Buffs took the lead at 15-12, forcing KSU to use its first timeout. The Wildcats took the point after CU's timeout, but two kills from Griffin gave the Buffs the 17-13 advantage. Colorado took its largest lead of the game at 20-15, but the Wildcats pulled within two at 21-19. Once again CU took control of the game with a five-point lead at 24-19, causing KSU to use its final timeout. Ashley Nu'u tipped one over to increase CU's lead to 25-19. The Wildcats took the next two points and CU took its last timeout. Again the Buffs took the first point after the timeout, but KSU fired back with a kill of its own. The Wildcats closed the gap at 26-24, but Sutherland hammered one down for the Buffs. Colorado closed the game with an ace by Bossow at 30-25. Griffin notched eight kills in the game and helped the Buffs to a .359 attack percentage. Kansas State hit .268.
Colorado pulled out to a 9-6 lead in the third game and Kansas State took a timeout. The Wildcats took the next three points before CU got the ball back. The two went back and forth exchanging points until KSU took a 15-13 lead. Colorado called a timeout when the Wildcats took a four-point lead at 18-14. A Sutherland kill off the timeout was followed up with a block by Nu'u, Bossow and Sutherland and got the Buffs within two. KSU got the next four points and CU took another timeout. The Wildcats extended their lead with three straight points before CU got the side out. The Buffs continued to fight back and forced KSU to use take a timeout at 20-26. Colorado fought off three game points before KSU took the frame 30-25. The Buffs hit just .174 in the game and tallied eight errors, one more than the first two games combined. The Wildcats hit .250.
Kansas State took a 3-0 lead in the first game and CU took its first timeout. KSU extended its lead to 14-5 before the Buffs got back on the board. Colorado fought back and came within six at 12-18, which caused KSU to use a timeout. The Wildcats continued to hold the lead, but the Buffs came back within five points. CU rallied and fought off two game points before KSU called a timeout. Griffin hammered the ball to bring the Buffs within three and an error by KSU made it 27-29. A lift by the Wildcats got the Buffs within one, but KSU hammered a kill to finish off the match 30-28. CU tallied a .395 hitting percentage and KSU hit .400.
The final game was all Colorado, starting with a kill by Sutherland. Griffin followed it up with a kill of her own. Bossow got into the action with a kill as CU took a 3-0 lead. The Buffs increased it to 5-0 with two Wildcats errors. Griffin followed it up with a solo block and KSU took a timeout. CU increased its lead to 7-0 before the Wildcats got a point on the board. Colorado continued to roll and took a 10-1 advantage. KSU took the next two points and CU called a timeout. The Buffs continued the stampede and finished the match 15-5 with a kill from Carr. Colorado finished off the match with a match-high .538 hitting percentage.
“The comeback started in the middle of game four,” Head Coach Pi'i Aiu said. “If you can turn things around in a game you're struggling with and get some momentum going into the fifth game, good things can happen.”
Griffin and Bossow each collected career-highs with 29 and 16 kills, respectively. Bossow did not commit a single error on 23 attempts and hit .696. Sutherland hammered 13 kills and added 18 digs and three blocks, while Carr tallied seven kills, 19 digs and three blocks. Nu'u handed out 66 assists, six kills, six digs and four blocks in the victory. Colorado hit .345 in the match and held KSU to .207. Sandy Werner led the Wildcats with 19 kills and five blocks.
Colorado will travel to Texas to face its second consecutive ranked opponent in 24th-ranked Texas A&M on Sunday, October 16, at 1:30 p.m. CT.
