NORMAN, Okla. ? The University of Colorado (5-4, 1-2 Big 12) defeated the University of Oklahoma (5-7, 0-3 Big 12) 30-26, 24-30, 26-30, 30-27, 15-12 in Norman Okla., on Saturday night. The match was the first win for the CU in the Big 12 this season.
Colorado started off the first game with two points on Lara Bossow's serve and got the ball back on a service error by OU to make it 3-1. The Buffs increased their lead to 13-5 before the Sooners took their first timeout of the match. Colorado continued where it left off and added another kill before turning the ball over. The Sooners went on an 11-8 run to make it 21-16 and came within four at 23-19. The Buffs didn't let up and got back on track with a Lauren Schaefer kill at 25-20. Amber Sutherland and Bossow teamed up for a block, which was followed up with a hitting error by OU. Sutherland and Allie Griffin each added a kill to bring the Buffs to game point, but the Sooners struck back, putting six consecutive points on the board (29-26) before Griffin finished off the game with her eighth kill of the frame. The Buffs hit .231 and held OU to just .054.
The second game started the same way the first ended, with a Griffin kill. The two sides exchanged points and the Sooners took their first lead of the match at 8-7 and extended it to 10-7. Colorado got points back on two OU errors and two service aces by Alex Buth to give the Buffs the advantage at 11-10. The Sooners went on a 6-2 run, but Colorado didn't let up. CU tied it up at 16 with its own 4-0 run and took the advantage at 18-17. OU came back to take the lead at 22-20 and Colorado took its first timeout. The Sooners extended their lead to 27-23 before CU called its second timeout. OU finished off the match at 30-24. This time the Sooners hit .258 and held the Buffs to .027. Colorado notched 12 kills in the game, but tallied 11 errors on 37 attempts.
The Buffs stampeded to a 7-1 advantage to start the third frame. Colorado extended its lead to 18-10, but the Sooners fired back and closed in on the Buffs at 24-21. Schaefer hammered one down for CU, but OU rallied back at 25-23, forcing a Colorado timeout. The Buffs came out of the timeout with a kill from Griffin, but two consecutive OU points forced another Colorado timeout at 26-25. The Sooners knotted it up at 26 and took the lead with a CU error. OU finished the game 30-26 on a Sutherland hitting error. Colorado hit .105 in the game while Oklahoma hit .286.
The fourth game got out to a familiar start with a kill from Griffin. CU took its first lead at 6-5, but Oklahoma came back with three straight points. A kill by Mallori Gibson and a block by Griffin and Bossow tied it up at 9. OU answered back with two points of its own. The two continued to exchange points and tied things up at 17. Oklahoma took a 22-21 lead, but the Buffs were not done. CU came back and scored three straight points, which caused OU to take a timeout. The Buffs extended their lead to 27-24. The Sooners fought off one game point, but Griffin finished the game at 30-27 for Colorado with a kill. CU's offense collected a .314 attack percentage and the Sooners hit .000.
The deciding game started 5-1 in favor of the Sooners. Colorado got back on track with kills from Griffin and Schaefer and an OU hitting error. The Buffs evened the score at 5 and then at 6. A block by Schaefer gave CU the 7-6 advantage, but OU came back with a kill. Schaefer followed it up, this time with a kill. Colorado stretched its lead to 13-9. The Sooners came back with two points. Bossow hammered down the kill and brought on match point, causing OU to use its second timeout of the game. The Sooners got the ball back on a serving error, but Griffin polished off the match with her 27th kill of the evening.
The Buffs hit .185 in the match and OU hit .132. The CU defense held the Sooners to a .000 hitting percentage in the last two games.
Griffin hit a team-best 27 kills and earned her second consecutive double-double of the year with 10 digs. Carr picked up a team-high 15 digs and is just 19 digs from 1,000 in her career. Alex Buth recorded a career-high five aces. The last time a Buff fired five or more aces in a match was Monique Gerlach against Baylor on Nov. 11, 2000. Bossow also had a solid night for the Buffs with 13 kills, two aces and four blocks. Schaefer added eight kills, two digs and a career-best six blocks in the victory.
Oklahoma was lead by Elaine Santos' 16 kills. Joanna Schmitt and Laura Tomes each collected 13 kills in the loss.
Colorado is back in action on Wednesday night against Iowa State in Ames. The match is slated for a 6 p.m. MT start.
