Colorado University Athletics
Friday, October 28
Los Angeles, Calif.
7:00 PM
Colorado
at
UCLA
Photo by: Mark Waldron
Buffs Start Second Half Of Pac-12 Schedule In Los Angeles
October 26, 2016 | Volleyball
BOULDER — Colorado starts the second half of the Pac-12 Conference slate this Friday and Saturday, October 28 and 29, against a pair of ranked opponents in Los Angeles. The Buffs will start the weekend on Friday with a match against No. 12 UCLA at 7 p.m. Then on Saturday, the Buffs will travel across town to take on the No. 24 Southern California Trojans at 6 p.m.
Friday's match against UCLA will be televised live on Pac-12 Mountain and Pac-12 Los Angeles. Saturday's contest against Southern California will be streamed online on Pac-12 Plus (a link is located on the CU volleyball schedule).
ABOUT THE BUFFS: The Buffs have recorded a 12-8 overall record this season. They are also 4-6 in the Pac-12, which is ninth in the league standings. CU ranks 36th in blocks per set nationally (2.53), which is also fourth in the Pac-12.
Individually, the Buffs are led by Alexa Smith, who is averaging 3.15 kills per set and 0.22 service aces per set. At the net, sophomore Naghede Abu is averaging the 36th best total in the country, sixth in the Pac-12, at 1.28 blocks per set.
Junior Gabby Simpson and senior Kiara McKibben have been running a very successful 6-2 offense, as seen in CU's hitting efficiency (.237). Simpson is averaging 5.56 assists per set, but also adds 2.56 kills per set, the second best total on the team, as well. McKibben is recording 6.01 assists per set. Senior Cierra Simpson leads the Buffs with 3.44 digs per set.
ABOUT UCLA: UCLA is ranked 12th in the country, according to the AVCA Poll. The Bruins are 16-4 overall this season and are tied for second in the Pac-12 with a 7-3 record. The Bruins are ranked in the NCAA's top 10 in three different categories. They lead the Pac-12 and rank fifth national with 18.05 digs per set. The Bruins are also second in the conference in kills per set (14.46, seventh nationally) and assists per set (13.57, eighth nationally). Individually, Jordan Anderson is averaging 3.32 kills per set (ninth in the conference), while Reily Buechler is adding 3.07 kills per set. Taylor Formico is recording 4.97 digs per set (second in the league, 35th nationally) and Jenny Frager is posting 1.16 blocks per set (10th in the Pac-12).
UCLA leads the all-time series against CU 10-3. All three of CU's wins against the Bruins have come in the last four seasons. The first win against UCLA came on Sept. 27, 2013 (3-2) and the second was on the road on Oct. 12, 2014 (3-1). Most recently, the Buffs took down the Bruins on Oct. 2 with a score of 25-21, 24-26, 25-15, 28-26.
ABOUT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA: Southern California is tied for 24th in the latest AVCA Poll. The Trojans have recorded a 14-7 overall mark and are tied for fifth in the Pac-12 with a 6-4 league record. USC is averaging 16.07 digs per set, which is third in the league. The Trojans are attacking at a .247 clip and are averaging 14.05 kills per set. At the net, USC is posting 2.29 blocks per set. Khalia Lanier leads the team with 3.99 kills per set (fourth in the Pac-12), while Taylor Whittingham is the top defender with 4.91 digs per set, which ranks third in the league. Jordan Dunn is averaging a team-best 1.10 blocks per set.
USC is the only team the Buffs have not beaten since joining the Pac-12 in 2011. Overall, the Trojans lead the all-time series 13-0. CU came close to knocking off the Trojans last season in Boulder while USC was ranked No. 1, but USC rallied from 2-1 deficit to defeat the Buffs. In the previous meeting this season, USC defeated the Buffs 3-1 (16-25, 34-32, 24-26, 16-25).
Friday's match against UCLA will be televised live on Pac-12 Mountain and Pac-12 Los Angeles. Saturday's contest against Southern California will be streamed online on Pac-12 Plus (a link is located on the CU volleyball schedule).
ABOUT THE BUFFS: The Buffs have recorded a 12-8 overall record this season. They are also 4-6 in the Pac-12, which is ninth in the league standings. CU ranks 36th in blocks per set nationally (2.53), which is also fourth in the Pac-12.
Individually, the Buffs are led by Alexa Smith, who is averaging 3.15 kills per set and 0.22 service aces per set. At the net, sophomore Naghede Abu is averaging the 36th best total in the country, sixth in the Pac-12, at 1.28 blocks per set.
Junior Gabby Simpson and senior Kiara McKibben have been running a very successful 6-2 offense, as seen in CU's hitting efficiency (.237). Simpson is averaging 5.56 assists per set, but also adds 2.56 kills per set, the second best total on the team, as well. McKibben is recording 6.01 assists per set. Senior Cierra Simpson leads the Buffs with 3.44 digs per set.
ABOUT UCLA: UCLA is ranked 12th in the country, according to the AVCA Poll. The Bruins are 16-4 overall this season and are tied for second in the Pac-12 with a 7-3 record. The Bruins are ranked in the NCAA's top 10 in three different categories. They lead the Pac-12 and rank fifth national with 18.05 digs per set. The Bruins are also second in the conference in kills per set (14.46, seventh nationally) and assists per set (13.57, eighth nationally). Individually, Jordan Anderson is averaging 3.32 kills per set (ninth in the conference), while Reily Buechler is adding 3.07 kills per set. Taylor Formico is recording 4.97 digs per set (second in the league, 35th nationally) and Jenny Frager is posting 1.16 blocks per set (10th in the Pac-12).
UCLA leads the all-time series against CU 10-3. All three of CU's wins against the Bruins have come in the last four seasons. The first win against UCLA came on Sept. 27, 2013 (3-2) and the second was on the road on Oct. 12, 2014 (3-1). Most recently, the Buffs took down the Bruins on Oct. 2 with a score of 25-21, 24-26, 25-15, 28-26.
ABOUT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA: Southern California is tied for 24th in the latest AVCA Poll. The Trojans have recorded a 14-7 overall mark and are tied for fifth in the Pac-12 with a 6-4 league record. USC is averaging 16.07 digs per set, which is third in the league. The Trojans are attacking at a .247 clip and are averaging 14.05 kills per set. At the net, USC is posting 2.29 blocks per set. Khalia Lanier leads the team with 3.99 kills per set (fourth in the Pac-12), while Taylor Whittingham is the top defender with 4.91 digs per set, which ranks third in the league. Jordan Dunn is averaging a team-best 1.10 blocks per set.
USC is the only team the Buffs have not beaten since joining the Pac-12 in 2011. Overall, the Trojans lead the all-time series 13-0. CU came close to knocking off the Trojans last season in Boulder while USC was ranked No. 1, but USC rallied from 2-1 deficit to defeat the Buffs. In the previous meeting this season, USC defeated the Buffs 3-1 (16-25, 34-32, 24-26, 16-25).
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Volleyball
S
/ Volleyball
DS/L
/ Volleyball
S/OPP
/ Volleyball
OH
/ VolleyballVolleyball: Let’s Dance! | This Week in Colorado Volleyball | Dec. 2, 2025
Tuesday, December 02
No. 23 Colorado vs. No. 24 BYU Highlights | November 29, 2025
Saturday, November 29
Volleyball: Final Week of Regular Season | This Week in Colorado Volleyball | Nov. 25, 2025
Wednesday, November 26
Volleyball: #21 Colorado vs West Virginia | November, 19th 2025
Friday, November 21