Colorado University Athletics
Colorado
UNC Wilmington
Buffaloes Stampede Seahawks
August 31, 2007 | Volleyball
BOULDER — Mallori Gibson recorded 16 kills as the University of Colorado volleyball team recorded its first win of the 2007 season with a sweep of UNC Wilmington (30-17, 30-18, 30-12) on the first day of the Colorado Invitational at the Coors Events Center. The win helped CU get on the winning track after dropping a pair of matches at the All-State Sugar Bowl Classic in New Orleans and starting off 0-2 for the first time since 2002.
“You can't really focus on the past, but you have to move on,” head coach Pi'i Aiu said. “We talked to our kids about keeping our intensity and focus. It was nice to come out and play a very focused match tonight.
“We had three really intense and focused practices this week and it was really the kids that made the difference. They came in and started to realize that this is how you have to practice to be at the level you want to be at. This is the Big 12 and we are going to have to play tough to compete.”
CU is now 1-2 on the year.
Gibson hit .583 on the night and CU recorded a .534 hitting percentage with 57 kills on 88 swing and just 10 errors.
“It feels good to get this first win of the season,” Gibson said. “We have been working so hard this past week and now we just want to keep this momentum moving forward to have another great season.”
Alex Buth added 13 kills and hit a career-best .706. Lauren Schaefer hit a team-high .769. She had 10 kills on 13 error free swings. Kelsey Loop, who has started in place of Amber Sutherland this season, added nine kills.
“I feel like I contributed last year to the team, but that was more in practice,” Loop said. “This year, I am able to show everyone what I am capable of doing on the court. There is a little added pressure to fill-in Amber's (Sutherland) shoes, but it feels great to make an impact on this team.”
Kaitlyn Burkett dished out 48 assists for the Buffs.
The Seahawks recorded just 16 kills in the match and hit .000 with 16 errors on 66 attacks.
CU had a great night on the service line and came away with 11 aces. Callie Webster served up a career-best four, while Burkett notched three and Loop and Gibson each totaled two. Webster picked up a team-best 10 digs.
Colorado used a 12-3 run in the first game to pull away from the Seahawks and take an 18-8 advantage. The Buffaloes controlled the frame and used a 12-9 run, completed with a pair of kills from Schaefer, to close the set at 30-17. CU served up five aces in the game, Burkett and Loop each tallied a pair and Gibson recorded the other. Buth hammered seven kills and hit .778 as the Buffs recorded 18 kills and hit .577 in the game. The Buffs held UNCW to a .050 attack percentage.
The Buffs opened the second game with eight straight points, seven on Callie Webster's serve, forcing UNCW to call a timeout (8-0). Colorado continued to own the game, pulling out to a 15-7 lead. CU would extend its lead to 10 points four times in the set.
The third game started almost like the second with CU taking an 8-1 lead, causing the Seahawks to call a timeout.
The Buffs rolled on to a 17-5 advantage, and didn't look back. CU closed out the game and the match with an 8-0 run. Colorado hit a match high 21 kills in the frame and a .500 attack percentage. Gibson led the onslaught with seven kills and Schaefer added four.
In earlier action at the Colorado Invitational, UCF defeated UNCW in five games, 30-24, 24-30, 30-27, 22-30, 15-4. Schanell Neiderworder led the Knights with 16 kills and Lauren Williams added 13 while hitting .588. Jenny Heppert recorded seven block assists and added 11 kills for the Knights.
Lindsey Strucko led the Seahawks with 16 kills. Megan Nash added 14 kills and Paula McConnell, a Parker, Colo., native, tallied 11 kills for UNCW.
The fifth game was delayed for approximately 20 minutes due to a fire alarm at the Coors Events Center because of construction on the second level for the basketball operations center. UCF was leading 6-1.
No. 11 California swept UCF 30-17, 30-20, 30-18. Morgan Beck led the Bears with 10 kills in two games. Kat Reilly hit a team and match-high .778 with seven kills on nine errorless attacks. She also put up seven blocks, one solo and six assists.
Neiderworder led the Knights with eight kills and Erin Campbell added seven for UCF.
At the end of the day, UCF finished 2-4, Cal improved to 4-0, UNCW finished 1-5.
The second day of the Colorado Invitational is Saturday, Sept. 1. The first match will be at 4:30 p.m. between Cal and UNCW. CU will host UCF at 6:30 p.m.
- Colorado -
