Buffs Handle Winthrop In Three

Friday, September 7

Ft. Collins, Colo.

4:30 p.m.

Colorado

Winthrop

Photo by: CUBuffs.com

September 07, 2007 | Volleyball

By: Linda Sprouse, Assistant SID

FORT COLLINS, Colo. ? The University of Colorado volleyball team got back on the winning track on Friday afternoon with a sweep of Winthrop University at the Hilton Classic in Fort Collins, Colo. The Buffs won the match 30-19, 30-28 and 30-26.

The match saw 22 ties and 11 lead changes. The Buffs lead most of the way, but had to fight back in the third game to earn the win. CU recorded 50 kills and 7.0 blocks in the win.

“I think this is a good win for us,” head coach Pi'i Aiu said. “Winthrop is a good team and we had to play a tough match and find a way to scrap and to win a match like that was a really good step for us.”

Gibson led the Buffs for the second straight night. She hit .333 with 15 kills on 30 swings with five errors. Gibson also added two digs and a block solo in the third game to help CU to victory.

“We knew from experience in other tournaments that we weren't going to let this team beat us,” Gibson said. “So I did my best to finish the game and go all out at the end.”

Kaitlyn Burkett averaged 12.00 assists per game as CU hit .248 in the win. Emilee Sisco and Alex Buth each hammered nine kills. Buth hit .318 and Sisco hit .261. Buth also added six digs and four block assists. Sisco served up the Buffs' only pair of aces in the match.

Lauren Schaefer and Schylur Edelman were also effective in the middle as each was receiving more swings in the match. Schaefer put down seven kills (.357) and Edelman added six. Edelman put up four block assists and Schaefer recorded three.

“We'd like to see that progress through the season to the point that we are depending on our middles a little more than we are right now,” Aiu said. “As Kaitlyn Burkett gets comfortable with that you will probably see it happen more.”

Libero Callie Webster picked up 15 of CU's 40 digs. Burkett and Ellen Henry each added five in the victory.

The Eagles recorded 39 kills, 38 digs and 11.0 blocks while hitting .183.

Colorado got out to a 17-11 lead in the first game before the Eagles used their first timeout. The Buffs used a 6-3 run to pull out to a 23-14 lead, causing Winthrop to use its last timeout of the frame. The Eagles tried to tighten up the game, but Edelman recorded four kills in the Buffs final seven points to close the set for CU. The Buffs hit .342 in the game with 17 kills and held the Eagles to .147. Gibson and Edelman led the Buffs with five kills a piece.

The Buffs held the lead in the second game until the Eagles went up 13-12. CU regained the lead at 18-17 on an attack error by the Eagles. Winthrop got back within one point at 29-28, but a kill from Gibson sealed the game for Colorado. Gibson added another five kills for the Buffs, who once against recorded 17 kills in the frame.

The third game was tied at 14 when the Eagles used a 7-2 run to take a 21-16 lead. CU burned its first timeout and took the next three points. The Buffs continued to fight and got back within one point at 24-25. A kill from Edelman tied it up and WU used a timeout. The Buffs took the lead with an attack error by the Eagles and followed it up with a block by Gibson and Edelman. CU used a 5-1 run to close out the game and the match.

The Buffs, who improved to 4-3 overall, wrap up action at the Hilton Classic tomorrow at 5 p.m. with a match against Miami (Ohio).

--COLORADO--