Buff Errors Lead To UCLA Sweep

Friday, September 1

Honolulu, Hawai'i

8:30 p.m.

Colorado

UCLA

September 01, 2006 | Volleyball

By: Linda Sprouse, Assistant SID

HONOLULU ? The University of Colorado recorded 28 errors and fell to 10^th-ranked UCLA 25-30, 25-30, 25-30 in the first day of the Hawaiian Airlines Wahine Volleyball Classic Friday night. Although the Buffs were able to stay close with UCLA for the majority of the match, CU just couldn't hold on to a lead in any of its three games.

“I don't know if sticking with anyone is good enough,” Colorado Head Coach Pi'i Aiu said. “I think we look at the level we play at and whether we win or lose or stick with them or don't stick with them, because if we are playing well that is something the coaches are happy about and if we don't play well that is what the coaches are unhappy about.

“Unfortunately tonight we didn't play really well. We did some things pretty nicely. We served pretty well. I thought we scrambled real well and touched some balls and played some good strategy. We just did not look real well. But I think there is a lot of responsibility of that to go around.”

Colorado's downfall came in the attack error column. The Buffs recorded 28 errors, including 12 in the final game, while UCLA hit just 11.

“We hit 28 errors and they had 14 blocks, so that is 14 unforced errors,” Aiu explained. “That's a ton of unforced errors and a ton of blocks to give up again in a three-game match, like we did against DU; so we just have to be a little smarter.”

Colorado recorded just two less kills than UCLA with 45. The Buffs tallied 48 digs to the Bruins' 40 and served up nine aces to UCLA's three. Mallori Gibson notched a career-high four aces, while Amber Sutherland had a personal best with three. Gibson also added nine kills and Sutherland recorded eight kills and 10 digs.

“Mal had a real good match I thought,” Aiu said. “Even her, I think the errors we are looking at are what we are worried about because they are bad errors; they are not good errors.”

Lara Bossow was a bright spot for the Buffs as she recorded a match-high 11 kills for the Buffs. She tallied 19 attempts and hit three errors for a .421 attack percentage. Ashley Nu'u, the team's setter, hit a team-best .455 with seven kills. Nu'u also recorded 34 assists as the Buffs hit .137.

The Bruins hit .321 in the match, including .515 in the second games. Katie Carter led the Bruins with 10 kills and Nana Meriwether recorded 10 block assists with eight kills.

The Buffs got out to a good start in the first game and took their first lead of the game at 7-6. The two teams continued to trade points until Colorado took a two-point lead at 13-11. At that point, UCLA rattled off four straight points to make it 13-15 and to retake the lead. The Bruins extended their lead to 26-21, forcing Colorado to use a timeout. The Buffs tried to narrow the lead and got within three at 24-27, but UCLA took the game 30-25.

Colorado started the second game with three kills to gain a 3-1 lead. UCLA used an 8-2 run to take the lead at 9-5. The Buffaloes got back in the game with help from Bossow and Sutherland. Bossow tallied two consecutive kills which were followed by a kill and a pair of aces by Sutherland to get the Buffs within one at 10-11. The Bruins refused to relinquish the lead, extending it to 27-19. Colorado attempted a comeback, notching three straight points with a kills from Austin Zimmerman and two aces from Gibson, but it was not enough as UCLA finished the set 30-25.

In the third frame, the Buffs took a 12-9 lead and forced UCLA to use its first timeout of the match. Colorado led the game until the Bruins came back with five straight points to lead at 21-19 and finished the match 30-25.

Colorado will face host Hawai'i tomorrow night, Sept. 2, at 7:30 p.m. in the Stan Sheriff Center. Hawai'i is currently ranked seventh in the CSTV/AVCA Division I Preseason Coaches Poll.