Colorado University Athletics
Colorado
Baylor
Buffaloes Fall To Baylor In Five
September 19, 2007 | Volleyball
BOULDER – Mallori Gibson recorded 20 kills, but it was not enough as the University of Colorado volleyball team dropped its second straight Big 12 match to Baylor University, 26-30, 32-30, 30-27, 26-30, 14-16, at the Coors Events Center on Wed., Sept. 19.
Colorado was up 10-4 in the fifth game, but was unable to close out the game after Baylor went on a 7-1 run to tie up the game at 11. The Buffs went up 14-12, but BU took the next four points to win the game and the match at 16-14.
“It's very disheartening how we lost the match,” Aiu said. “They got a cheap side out and we hit two errors and suddenly we are in a battle. And this team doesn't know how to battle yet.”
This it the third straight match between the two teams that has gone to five games and the sixth time in the overall series. With the win, Baylor snapped a 13-match losing streak to the Buffs dating back to Nov. 11, 2000.
Colorado fell to 5-5 overall and 0-2 in the Big 12 while BU improved to 8-5, 1-2 (Big 12). The Buffs were also playing without junior middle blocker Lauren Schaefer who suffered an ankle injury in the match against Texas Tech a week ago, which left CU with two freshmen middle blockers in Schylur Edelman and Rosie Steinhaus on the court. Edelman recorded a career-high 10 kills and Steinhaus tallied six kills.
“We have who we have and we have to coach who we have on the court and find ways to win with them,” head coach Pi'i Aiu said. “And we can. We have the talent to do it.”
Alex Buth recorded her fifth double-double of the season with 13 kills and 13 digs for the Buffs. Emilee Sisco recorded a career-high 16 kills. Kaitlyn Burkett recorded the best hitting percentage for the Buffs at .462 (7k-1e-13att). Burkett also passed out a career-high 61 assists.
The Buffs hit .186 while the Bears hit .256. CU hammered 72 kills, three more than the Bears.
Callie Webster tied a career-high by picking up 21 digs to lead the Buffs. Colorado and Baylor each recorded 55 digs in the match.
The Bears, who ranks second in the Big 12 in blocks, put up a season-high 23.0 blocks compared to CU's 7.0.
“They had a good block, but a lot of our hitters were hitting right in the middle of their block and so it wasn't that they were really good, it's that we weren't hitting around them,” Buth said. “They are a good blocking team, but we needed to do a better job hitting.”
“We have to be a little bit more aware of when we are likely to have a good block in front of us and there are too many swings that we are taking right at the block when it is well formed right in front of us,” Aiu said. “Part of that is maturity and learning and part of that is we have to coach them into it.”
The Buffaloes stay at home for its second straight match. CU will host No. 16 Kansas State on Saturday, Sept. 22. The match is set for 6:30 p.m.
--COLORADO--
