Buffs Come Up Short In Five-Set Thriller Against Oregon State

Saturday, November 12

Corvallis, Ore.

8:00 PM

Colorado

13-13, 5-11Pac-12

Oregon State

11-16, 4-12Pac-12

Colorado

Oregon State

Alexa Smith led the team with 20 kills

Photo by: Gary Breedlove

Buffs Come Up Short In Five-Set Thriller Against Oregon State

November 12, 2016 | Volleyball

Box Score

By: Linda Sprouse, Assistant SID

CORVALLIS, Ore. — Colorado fought back from a 2-1 deficit against Oregon State to force a fifth and deciding set on Saturday night, but was unable to complete the comeback, falling just short (25-15, 23-25, 25-17, 18-25, 15-13).

Sophomore Alexa Smith led the Buffs for the third straight match, recording 20 kills as CU dropped to 13-13 overall, 5-11 in the Pac-12. Oregon State, which was led by Mary-Kate Marshall's 21 kills, improved to 11-16 and is now 4-12 in conference play.

WHAT HAPPENED: Smith didn't just do well for the Buffs offensively, but was a great defender with 14 digs and a pair of blocks. Freshman Justine Spann was second on the team offensively with a career-high 12 kills and also added seven digs and three blocks. Sophomore Naghede Abu had the best hitting efficiency for CU at .533 with eight kills on 15 errorless attacks.

Abu also led the Buffs in blocks with nine, posting one solo and eight assists. CU did well at the net as junior, Joslyn Hayes, recorded seven block assists in addition to five kills. Senior Cierra Simpson earned her sixth 20-plus dig performance of the season with a match-high 23 digs. Another senior, Kiara McKibben, earned a career-best 19 digs while handing out 22 assists for her sixth double-double of the season.

SET 1: The Buffs struggled in the first set, falling behind 8-2 before taking a timeout. Out of the break, CU was able to side-out, but was not able to cut into OSU's lead as the two sides exchanged points. Oregon State went on to take the set 25-15, hitting .529 with 20 kills, while CU was held to a .290 hitting efficiency with 11 kills. Both teams recorded just two errors.

SET 2: The second set started off better for Colorado, trailing by just two points at 8-6 before OSU recorded a 5-1 run to go up 13-7. The Buffs used their first timeout of the set at that point and got back within three points (14-11). OSU answered with a 5-2 run, bringing the score to 19-13, but CU wasn't going to let up and responded with three straight points to again get within three points (19-16). The Beavers took the next two points, causing CU to use its final timeout of the set. The Buffs came back with a 5-1 run of its own, pulling the score within a point (22-21), which made OSU take its first timeout of the match. Colorado tied it up on the following point with an ace by Anna Pfefferle and went on to take the set 25-23.

SET 3: Oregon State took an 11-5 advantage to start the third set, causing CU to spend a timeout. The Buffs took the first three points out of the break to cut OSU's lead in half at 11-8, but the Beavers responded and increased their lead back to six at 20-14, forcing CU to take its final timeout. The Buffs were not able to get much going after the timeout and fell 25-17.

SET 4: The Buffs started the fourth set much better, taking a 9-5 lead to start. Oregon State called a timeout and recorded a kill out of the break. The two sides battled and kept the score fairly close during the middle of the game. OSU was able to get within a point of CU at 17-16, but the Buffs pulled away after recording a 4-0 run to take a 21-16 advantage. CU went on to finish the set easily, winning 25-18.

SET 5: Colorado took a 7-5 lead to start the final frame. After an OSU timeout, the Beavers took the first point, but the Buffs answered with a point of their own for an 8-6 lead at the side-change. The two teams exchanged points until the Buffs were able to record two consecutive points, a block by Smith and Abu, and a kill from Smith, to take a 12-9 advantage. OSU took its final timeout and scored the following three points to even the set at 12-12. This time CU needed a timeout, but it did not help and after two more OSU points, the Buffs used their final timeout (14-12). CU fought off the first set point with a kill from Smith, but OSU won the set on the following point with a kill (15-13).

TEAM STATISTICS: The Buffs hit .209 with 56 kills and 22 errors on 163 attacks, while Oregon State hit .260 with 69 kills and 22 errors on 181 attacks. OSU handed out 66 assists to CU's 54. The Buffs out-dug the Beavers 77-72 and also had the edge in blocks (13.5-10.0).

NOTEABLE: The Buffs lead the all-time series against OSU 7-4…CU had won seven straight matches against OSU prior to Saturday's loss…CU is 1-9 on the road in 2016….This was the ninth five-set match for the Buffs this season – they are 5-4 in those contests.

NEXT UP: The Buffs head back to Boulder for its final home stand of the 2016 season. They will host No. 11 Washington on Friday, Nov. 18, at 8 p.m. and on Sunday, Nov. 20, CU will take on Washington State at 12 p.m. in the home finale.

QUOTABLE:
Jesse Mahoney, head coach
"A frustrating loss tonight in a match we needed to win. The loss of Gabby Simpson hurt us, but I thought Marie Zimmerman and Katelyn Cuff played well filling Gabby's role as a setter and hitter. We were up late in the fifth set but got tentative and couldn't put the match away."