BOULDER ? The top-ranked Nebraska Huskers (9-0, 1-0 Big 12) defeated the University of Colorado Buffaloes (4-3, 0-2 Big 12) 30-22, 30-20, 30-23 on Saturday night in front of 1,882 at the Coors Events Center.
Nebraska started the match off with five straight points before the Buffs got on the board. Off of a Colorado timeout, the Buffs got a kill from senior right side Allie Griffin. The Huskers extended their advantage to 10-3 before junior setter Ashley Nu'u slipped one past the NU defense. Another kill from Griffin got the Buffs within four (13-9), but the Huskers once again fired back, extending their lead to 20-12 and eventually won the game. The Buffs tallied 13 kills, but also hit 12 errors on 38 attempts for a .026 hitting percentage. Nebraska hit .290 in the game.
Griffin started the second frame out with a kill and the Buffs took a 3-1 advantage. The two went back and forth and Nebraska took its first lead of the game at 7-6 and didn't let go of it. The Buffs hit .216 in the game with 17 kills, but the Huskers hit .483.
Nebraska got off to a quick start in the final game at 4-1, but CU fired back to make it 6-7. The Huskers took a 17-10 advantage and tried to finish the game at 29-19. The Buffs didn't go quietly as they pounded four straight points before dropping the final game of the match.
“We didn't compete as hard as we can compete until the last four points of that match,” Head Coach Pi'i Aiu said. “And I think we have to learn to compete like that all of the time. That's how a team like us has a chance to beat a team like Nebraska.”
Griffin hit a team-best 16 kills and just missed a double-double with nine digs. Sophomore Amber Sutherland notched 11 kills and hit .227. Nu'u handed out 27 assists and collected three kills, three digs and hit a team-best .250.
As a team, CU hit .153, while Nebraska hit .392. The Huskers' block had the advantage at 12-3.
“I thought we did some good things,” Aiu said. We passed pretty well and Nebraska's the number one team. They ball handle well for any team. They passed great balls almost all of the time.”
The Buffs are back in action on Wednesday, Sept. 21, against 10th-ranked Missouri at 7 p.m. at the Coors Events Center. It will be the third straight match against a ranked opponent for Colorado.
