BOULDER ? Missouri's 18 blocks pushed the Tigers past Colorado (4-4, 0-3 Big 12) 30-25, 30-24, 30-11 on Wednesday night at the Coors Events Center. The loss was the third straight for the Buffs to a ranked opponent. The Tigers (9-0, 3-0 Big 12) are currently ranked eighth in the CSTV/AVCA Division I Coaches Top 25 Poll.
The first game started off with two kills from senior Buff Allie Griffin and each side exchanged points for until Missouri earned a 14-11 lead. CU came back within one point, but the Tigers pulled away with the game at 30-25. Colorado fought hard with Griffin notching seven kills in the game and senior Nicole Carr picking up 11 digs in the frame.
Colorado started off the second game with a kill from Carr and took a 3-1 lead. The Buffs extended it to a 6-2 advantage with a kill from junior setter Ashley Nu'u before Missouri took a timeout. The Tigers took their first lead of the match at 13-12 and pulled away with the game. Missouri hit .450 in the game with 21 kills on 40 attempts and had just three errors. The Buffs hit .250 with 18 kills, seven errors and 44 attacks.
The final frame saw a different line-up for Colorado, with Nicole Carr at libero and freshman Alex Buth at outside hitter. Carr has played five games at libero in three previous matches this season. Missouri got off to a quick start with a 9-4 advantage and ran away with the game, 30-11. This time, the Tigers hit .654 and did not commit one attack error on 17 kills. Colorado was held to a .091 attack percentage and hit just 10 kills.
“It's a little embarrassing that we can fight as hard as we fought for two games and then just give that up,” Colorado Head Coach Pi'i Aiu said. “I think no matter who we're playing in the Big 12, we can't ever stop fighting. If we play like we played in game three, we may not win a game in the Big 12. We've got to learn to fight for a long period of time, until the match is over and we didn't do that tonight.”
Griffin led the Buffs with 16 kills and hit .306 for the match. Lauren Schafer amassed a career-high with nine kills. She hit .474 on 19 attempts and didn't commit an error. Carr finished the match with a match-high 15 digs.
Colorado is back in action against Oklahoma on Saturday, Sept. 24 in Norman, Okla. at 6 p.m. MT.
