Colorado University Athletics
Colorado
3-4
Yale
3-0
Buffs Split On Day 2 At Yale Invite
September 05, 2009 | Volleyball
NEW HAVEN, Conn. The University of Colorado volleyball team spilt a pair of matches against Georgetown University and Yale University at the Yale Invitational on Saturday to finish the invite with a 2-1 record.
The Buffs defeated Georgetown (3-1) and fell to Yale (0-3) in the final match of the tournament. Colorado is now 3-3 on the year as they head home to host the Colorado Invitational. Becah Fogle and Kerra Schroeder were named to the all-tournament team for their performances this weekend.
"Overall this weekend was productive in that we picked up two road wins and were able to compete against some quality teams," CU Head Coach Liz Kritza said. "Every match this season will be a test and we fared decently, two wins and a tough loss. The good thing about this team is that they have the character to bounce back after tough losses, and that is exactly what we will do in preparation for our home opener this week."
In the first match of the day the Buffs battled back after falling in the first set to defeat Georgetown 18-25, 25-17, 25-17, 26-24. (Complete stats were not available for the GU match at the time of this release.)
"We had really good team chemistry this morning," junior Sofia Lindroth said. "We were talking a lot which is good because we are such a new team and are still getting to know everyone. We need to keep creating that chemistry."
CU took charge early in the first set and got out to an 11-3 lead but allowed the Hoyas to string together five straight points on two occasions to take the lead at 14-13. The Buffs allowed several little runs by GU as the Hoyas went on to take the first set 25-18. Despite CU's hot start to the set, the Buffs hit .000 with eight kills and eight errors on 35 swings. GU hit .200 (11k-5e-30att).
Once again the Buffs pulled out to an early lead in the second set. They rattled off four points on Megan Cyr's serve and three off Burkett's en route to a 13-6 advantage. CU maintained its composure in the middle of the set and won the race to 20 with a six-point lead (20-14). The Hoyas took the following two points but the Buffs charged back with four straight of their own to get to set point. After a CU attack error, Fogle finished the set with a kill (25-17).
"In the second set we picked it up a level and we had good first contacts," Fogle said. "Everything that we needed to do, we did."
The third set seemed to be a repeat of the second set as CU won the race to 20 with the identical score of 20-14 and finished it out 25-17. Everything seemed to be clicking for the Buffs as they were blocking and hitting well in the frame.
The fourth set was much closer than the previous three. No team had more than a three-point lead at any point in the set leading up to a tie at 19-19. The Buffs took the three of the next four points; taking a 22-20 lead but the Hoyas took the following three points and a 23-22 lead. Both teams battled until CU strung together three points, including fighting off a GU set point, to win the set and the match at 26-24.
In the final match of the tournament, the Buffs fell in straight sets to Yale (22-25, 11-25, 9-25). Yale is now 3-0 on the year.
Fogle led the Buffs with 13 kills and added 12 digs for her second career double-double. Schroeder recorded seven kills and added eight digs. Rosie Steinhaus chipped in six.
As a team, the Buffs hit .122 on the match while the Bulldogs hit .362. Defensively the Buffs had 46 digs compared to YU's 37. Fogle was the digs' leader for CU and Schroeder was second. Kaitlyn Burkett and Ellen Henry each added seven in the effort.
The first set was tight until the Bulldogs recorded six straight points and took a 15-10 lead. The Buffs didn't get discouraged and put together their own run of 6-2 to get back within a point at 16-17. Three points later CU tied it up at 18. Yale put together a quick three point run which would prove to be the difference in the final part of the match as each side exchanged points but CU was unable to crack the three-point deficit and lost the set 25-22 despite fending off one set point. Statistically the set was fairly even except in the serving category as YU had four aces and CU had none.
The Buffs struggled in the second set and let the Bulldogs get out to a 17-8 lead. After taking three of the next five points, CU was unable to stop the Yale attack and the Bulldogs finished the set with six consecutive points at 25-11. The Buffs couldn't get much going offensively and recorded just seven kills, but also had eight errors on 31 attacks (-.032). Yale hit .323 with 12 kills and just a pair of errors.
Yale took a 12-1 lead in the third set as once again Colorado struggled to get going. The Bulldogs continued to pull away from CU although the Buffs started to put some points on the board. Yale finished the set and the match at 25-9. Once again the Buffs had seven kills in the frame, but only six errors on 24 swings to hit .042. YU hit .550 (11k-0e-20att).
The Buffs will start their home schedule next weekend when they host the Colorado Invitational Sept. 11-12. CU is co-hosting the invitational with the University of Denver and will start the invite at DU on Friday, Sept. 11 at 11 a.m. before coming home to the Coors Events Center that night to face No. 15 San Diego at 7 p.m. On Saturday, Sept. 12, the Buffs will host Cal Poly at 7 p.m. USD and Cal Poly will compete earlier that day at 11 a.m. at the CECC.
The first 500 fans on Friday night will receive free t-shirts. Those who purchase tickets for the Friday night match against USD will get free admission for both matches on Saturday.
"We are excited to finally play at home after starting off this season with six road matches and travelling cross country two weekends in a row," Kritza said. "That is a lot to ask from any team, especially one in the position this team is in with the youth and inexperience on this roster in the first year of a learning new systems and acclimating to a new coaching staff.
"I hope that Coors Event Center is filled with an energetic bunch of Buff fans to welcome this team home next weekend. While we made great strides in raising our level of play to earn a convincing win against Georgetown, this strong Yale ball club was just too strong for us tonight. Fatigue set in and the quality of our first contact suffered greatly, Without the first contact, it is extremely difficult to sideout or even piece together an offensive system."
COLORADO BUFFALOES
Match Quotes:
Head Coach Liz Kritza
Overall this weekend was productive in that we picked up two road wins and were able to compete against some quality teams. Every match this season will be a test and we fared decently, two wins and a tough loss. The good thing about this team is that they have the character to bounce back after tough losses, and that is exactly what we will do in preparation for our home opener this week.
We are excited to finally play at home after starting off this season with six road matches and travelling cross country two weekends in a row. That is a lot to ask from any team, especially one in the position this team is in with the youth and inexperience on this roster in the first year of a learning new systems and acclimating to a new coaching staff.
I hope that Coors Event Center is filled with an energetic bunch of Buff fans to welcome this team home next weekend.
While we made great strides in raising our level of play to earn a convincing win against Georgetown, this strong Yale ball club was just too strong for us tonight. Fatigue set in and the quality of our first contact suffered greatly, Without the first contact, it is extremely difficult to sideout or even piece together an offensive system.
Junior Libero Sofia Lindroth
We had really good team chemistry this morning. We were talking a lot which is good because we are such a new team and are still getting to know everyone. We need to keep creating that chemistry.
Sophomore Outside Hitter Becah Fogle
In the second set we picked it up a level and we had good first contacts. Everything that we needed to do, we did.
