Lawrence, Kan. ?The University of Colorado volleyball team defeated the University of Kansas 26-30, 32-20, 30-27, 30-21 here today in Lawrence, Kan. in front of 854. The Buffs have won the last six matches and are currently receiving votes in the CSTV/AVCA Division I Coaches Poll. The win-streak is the longest of the season.
Kansas got out to a 9-3 lead in the first game before Colorado took its first timeout. Colorado finally got the ball back on a service error by Kansas at 11-3 and followed it up with an ace by Therese Vinal and a kill from Amber Sutherland. CU went on a 7-1 run to get back within two points at 10-12 and forced KU to use a timeout. The Jayhawks went on another run, 9-3, to take a 21-13 advantage, causing CU to use its second timeout. The Buffs got back in the game and closed the gap to seven at 27-20 off of three straight points off the serve of Ashley Nu'u. But the Jayhawks finished the game off at 30-26. The Buffs were lead by Allie Griffin with six kills in the game as CU hit .243. KU hit .270 with five kills from Emily Brown.
CU used the momentum from the end of game one and started off strong in the second game. Nicole Carr started the game out with a kill and the Buffs got out to a 10-4 lead; forcing a Jayhawk timeout. Griffin hammered two straight kills to increase CU's lead to 14-6. Kansas went on a 6-2 run, and Colorado used a timeout at 16-12. KU got back within three at 18-15, but Sutherland recorded a kill to hold off the Jayhawks. The Buffs continued the attack and took a seven point advantage at 25-18. Kansas got back within one at 28-27. Griffin hammered one down, but KU took the next three points to take the lead. Griffin evened it up for the Buffs at 30 and Lynsey Mann and Nu'u teamed up for a block to push CU ahead. Mann tapped one in to finish it off 32-30. The Buffs hit .273 in the game and held KU to .176.
The third game started with four points for the Jayhawks. Griffin got the Buffs on the board, but the Jayhawks continued its attack and took an 11-5 lead. Colorado pulled within three at 14-17 and KU used a timeout. Alex Buth served up an ace out of the timeout and another point for CU got the Buffs within one. Kansas took the next three points, but Nu'u slipped one past the Jayhawks to get the ball back. Three straight kills from Lara Bossow tied the frame at 22. The Buffs finally took its first the lead at 25-24, but KU tied it back at 26. Buth served up another two aces to give CU a 29-26 lead. Colorado finished the game with a KU error. CU recorded a .275 attack percentage in the set.
The fourth set started out like the third with KU taking the first two points. A kill from Bossow and a KU error tied it up. CU went ahead with a Kansas error and followed it up with a kill by Griffin. The Jayhawks evened it up at 8, but the Buffs pulled ahead once again. KU came back with a point at 14-13, but Bossow notched a point for CU. The Buffs went ahead 18-13 and forced the Jayhawks to use a timeout. Colorado extended the lead to 25-15. KU tallied the next two points, but CU continued to own the game. The Buffs closed the match with a kill from Griffin and won the frame 30-21. Colorado hit a match-best .310 and held KU to .000.
Griffin hammered 20 kills or more kills for the ninth time this season with 20. She hit .350 and added eight digs and four blocks. Bossow recorded 13 kills, three digs and four blocks while hitting .400. Sutherland picked up her 11th double-double of the year with 12 kills and 12 digs. Carr picked up 12 digs and was one kill shy of a double-double. Nu'u passed out 52 assists to pace the Buffs to a .276 hitting percentage. She added eight kills, seven digs and four blocks.
CU's defense held Kansas to a .167 attack percentage. The Buffs recorded 12 blocks to KU's 11. Colorado also picked up 63 digs to the Jayhawks' 56.
Colorado heads back home for a pair of matches. The Buffs will host Texas Tech on Sat., Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. and No. 14 Texas next Wed., Nov. 9 at 7 p.m. at the Coors Events Center. The match on Nov. 9 will be televised live on Fox Sports Net Rocky Mountain. Admission to the Texas Tech match is free with a ticket to the Colorado-Missouri football game which starts at 1:30 p.m. on Nov. 5.
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