Colorado University Athletics
Friday, October 7
Stanford, Calif.
7:00 PM
Colorado
at
Stanford
No. 19 Buffs Head To Northern California to Face No. 7 Stanford and Cal
October 05, 2016 | Volleyball
BOULDER — The 19th-ranked Colorado volleyball team will hit the road this weekend for a pair of Pac-12 Conference matches in the Bay Area. On Friday, Oct. 7, the Buffs will take on seventh-ranked Stanford at 7 p.m. MT in Stanford, Calif. Then on Sunday, Oct. 9, Cal will host the Buffs in Berkeley, Calif. with a 4 p.m. MT start.
Both matches will be broadcast live on Pac-12 Mountain and Pac-12 Bay Area.
ABOUT THE BUFFS: The Buffs are ranked 19th in the latest AVCA Poll and head into action this week with a 10-4 overall record. They are also 2-2 in the Pac-12, which is tied for fourth with five other teams. As a team, CU ranks 19th in blocks per set nationally (2.82) and is 26th in the NCAA in hitting percentage (.270). The Buffs are third in the league in hitting percentage and are fourth in blocks.
Individually, the Buffs are led by Alexa Smith, who is averaging 3.25 kills per set and 0.29 service aces per set, which is seventh in the conference. At the net, the Buffs have two players posting over 1.00 blocks per set. Sophomore Naghede Abu is averaging the 19th best total in the country at 1.44 blocks per set, while junior Joslyn Hayes is second on the team with 1.05 blocks per set. Abu also ranks sixth in the Pac-12.
Junior Gabby Simpson and senior Kiara McKibben have been running a very successful 6-2 offense, as seen in CU's hitting efficiency. Simpson is averaging 5.73 assists per set, but also adds 2.45 kills per set, the second best total on the team, as well. McKibben is recording 6.25 assists per set, the ninth best mark in the Pac-12. Senior Cierra Simpson ranks ninth in the league with 3.65 digs per set.
ABOUT STANFORD: The Cardinal is the highest ranked Pac-12 team in the latest AVCA Division I Poll, coming in at seventh this week. Stanford has recorded a 9-3 overall record and is 3-1 in the league standings, which is currently third. Its only loss in conference play came on the road at then-No. 17 Washington State. SU also suffered losses to San Diego (now ranked fifth) and then-No. 20 Purdue earlier this season.
The Cardinal leads the NCAA in blocks (3.39 per set) and has four players averaging over 1.00 blocks per set. Audriana Fitzmorris leads the Pac-12 and is fifth in the nation with 1.62 blocks per set, while Inky Ajanaku is third in the league and 13th in the NCAA (1.52). Katheryn Plummer ranks ninth in the Pac-12, 44th in the NCAA (1.28) and Merete Lutz is 13th in the conference, 120th in the nation (1.12). Ajanaku is also averaging a team-best 2.66 kills per set and her hitting percentage of .390 is second in the Pac-12, 31st in the country. Another top performer for SU is Morgan Hentz, who is fourth in the Pac-12 with 4.32 digs per set.
Stanford leads the all-time series against CU at 15-1. The Buffs defeated the Cardinal for the first time (3-1) on Oct. 18, 2015 in Boulder. The Buffs won with scores of 25-23, 27-25, 23-25, 25-21.
ABOUT CALIFORNIA: The Bears are 6-8 overall, 0-4 in the Pac-12, heading into this weekend. Cal is led by Bailee Huizenga, who is averaging 2.91 kills per set. Christine Alftin and Jenelle Jordan are second on the team with 2.60 kills per set. Jordan ranks 11th in the conference with a team-best hitting percentage of .340. Alyssa Jensen ranks second in the Pac-12, 39th in the NCAA, with 10.70 assists per set, directing the Bears to a .245 hitting efficiency. Mandy Kerr is fifth in the league with 4.25 digs per set.
Colorado leads the all-time series against Cal 6-5, which includes the last four straight matches.
Both matches will be broadcast live on Pac-12 Mountain and Pac-12 Bay Area.
ABOUT THE BUFFS: The Buffs are ranked 19th in the latest AVCA Poll and head into action this week with a 10-4 overall record. They are also 2-2 in the Pac-12, which is tied for fourth with five other teams. As a team, CU ranks 19th in blocks per set nationally (2.82) and is 26th in the NCAA in hitting percentage (.270). The Buffs are third in the league in hitting percentage and are fourth in blocks.
Individually, the Buffs are led by Alexa Smith, who is averaging 3.25 kills per set and 0.29 service aces per set, which is seventh in the conference. At the net, the Buffs have two players posting over 1.00 blocks per set. Sophomore Naghede Abu is averaging the 19th best total in the country at 1.44 blocks per set, while junior Joslyn Hayes is second on the team with 1.05 blocks per set. Abu also ranks sixth in the Pac-12.
Junior Gabby Simpson and senior Kiara McKibben have been running a very successful 6-2 offense, as seen in CU's hitting efficiency. Simpson is averaging 5.73 assists per set, but also adds 2.45 kills per set, the second best total on the team, as well. McKibben is recording 6.25 assists per set, the ninth best mark in the Pac-12. Senior Cierra Simpson ranks ninth in the league with 3.65 digs per set.
ABOUT STANFORD: The Cardinal is the highest ranked Pac-12 team in the latest AVCA Division I Poll, coming in at seventh this week. Stanford has recorded a 9-3 overall record and is 3-1 in the league standings, which is currently third. Its only loss in conference play came on the road at then-No. 17 Washington State. SU also suffered losses to San Diego (now ranked fifth) and then-No. 20 Purdue earlier this season.
The Cardinal leads the NCAA in blocks (3.39 per set) and has four players averaging over 1.00 blocks per set. Audriana Fitzmorris leads the Pac-12 and is fifth in the nation with 1.62 blocks per set, while Inky Ajanaku is third in the league and 13th in the NCAA (1.52). Katheryn Plummer ranks ninth in the Pac-12, 44th in the NCAA (1.28) and Merete Lutz is 13th in the conference, 120th in the nation (1.12). Ajanaku is also averaging a team-best 2.66 kills per set and her hitting percentage of .390 is second in the Pac-12, 31st in the country. Another top performer for SU is Morgan Hentz, who is fourth in the Pac-12 with 4.32 digs per set.
Stanford leads the all-time series against CU at 15-1. The Buffs defeated the Cardinal for the first time (3-1) on Oct. 18, 2015 in Boulder. The Buffs won with scores of 25-23, 27-25, 23-25, 25-21.
ABOUT CALIFORNIA: The Bears are 6-8 overall, 0-4 in the Pac-12, heading into this weekend. Cal is led by Bailee Huizenga, who is averaging 2.91 kills per set. Christine Alftin and Jenelle Jordan are second on the team with 2.60 kills per set. Jordan ranks 11th in the conference with a team-best hitting percentage of .340. Alyssa Jensen ranks second in the Pac-12, 39th in the NCAA, with 10.70 assists per set, directing the Bears to a .245 hitting efficiency. Mandy Kerr is fifth in the league with 4.25 digs per set.
Colorado leads the all-time series against Cal 6-5, which includes the last four straight matches.
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Volleyball
MB/RS
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DS/L
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S/OPP
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