Friday, September 22
Salt Lake City, UT
7:00 PM
Colorado
10-2, 0-1
1
at
3
Utah
10-2, 1-0
1
2
3
4
F
Colorado
14
25
20
17
1
Utah
25
16
25
25
3
Naghede Abu tallied 10 kills in the effort against Utah.
Photo by: Ed Kosmicki
No. 25 Buffs Fall 3-1 to No. 16 Utah In Salt lake City
September 22, 2017 | Volleyball
SALT LAKE CITY — For just the second time this season, the No. 25 Colorado volleyball team suffered a loss, this time falling 3-1 to No. 16 Utah on Friday night at Huntsman Center.
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Utah, which improved to 10-2 overall (1-0 Pac-12), took the first set 25-14, before the Buffs (10-2, 0-1 Pac-12) stormed back to take the second set, 25-16. But after the intermission, the Utes defended their home court, taking the third and fourth sets 25-20 and 25-17, respectively.
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WHAT HAPPENED: Junior Frankie Shebby led the Buffs' attack with 12 kills, while another pair of juniors, Alexa Smith and Naghede Abu, each totaled 10 kills in the effort. Abu hit a match-high .286 and also posted a match-best five blocks, one solo and four assists.
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Smith also did well defensively, recording her fifth double-double of the season with 15 digs. Junior Gabby Carta-Samuels recorded a career-best 23 digs in the effort for her first career 20+ digs performance.
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Adora Anae hammered a match-high 21 kills for the Utes and also hit .271 while adding 21 digs. Three other Utes, Dani Barton, Tawnee Luafalemana and Carly Trueman each tallied 10 kills.
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SET 1: The game was tied 7-7 when the Utes recorded a 3-0 run to go up 10-7. CU got back within a point, but again the Utes pulled away. UU had a 15-11 lead at the media timeout and increased the advantage to 18-11 before the Buffs were forced to take a timeout. The break did not slow down the Utes as they added another three points before the Buffs were able to side-out (21-12). Utah went on to take the set 25-14.
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SET 2: The Buffs came out stronger, this time taking an 11-6 lead in the set before Utah needed to call a timeout. Colorado increased its lead a short time later to six points (15-9). The two sides continued to battle, but the Buffs were the first team to 20, leading 20-14. Utah sided-out on the following point, but Smith answered with a kill, giving CU a 21-15 advantage. Utah took a timeout after Smith's kill, but it did little to slow down the Buffs as they had all the momentum and finished the frame 25-16.
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SET 3: The third set started out more evenly and was tied at 5-5 early before Utah was able to take a 13-7 lead. CU took its first timeout to regroup and recorded the following point off a kill from Abu. Abu posted a block solo on the next point to bring the Buffs within four points (13-9) before UU answered with a pair of points of its own (15-9). Utah led 23-15 late in the set, but the Buffs were not giving up and tallied a 3-0 run, which forced UU to call a timeout. The Utes took the first point out of the break to get to set point and despite a block by Abu and Joslyn Hayes, as well as a kill from Abu, Utah took the set 25-20.
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SET 4: Utah used a 4-0 run to take an 8-5 advantage before the Buffs needed to take a timeout. Colorado was able to side-out, but was not able to slow down the Utes as they jumped ahead 13-7. CU took its second timeout of the set down 10-15, and took the following point off a kill from Smith. UU took the next point, but the Buffs responded with a big block from Anna Pfefferle and Brynna DeLuzio (16-12). Unfortunately the Buffs could not keep momentum on their side and Utah took the set, 25-17, to finish the match.
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TEAM STATISTICS: Utah led in most categories in the box score, except for blocks and aces. CU posted 9.0 team blocks to UU's 7.0 and also served up three aces to just one for the Utes. Utah hit .218 with 64 kills and 27 errors on 170 attacks, while the Buffs hit .145 with 43 kills and 20 kills on 159 swings. Utah recorded 81 digs to CU's 63.
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NEXT UP: The Buffs return to Boulder on Sunday, Sept. 24 for a match against No. 4 and reigning NCAA Champion Stanford. First serve is set for 12 p.m. at Coors Events Center.
QUOTES:
Head coach Jesse Mahoney
"Utah played a very clean match. They beat us in the serve pass game - keeping us out of rhythm offensively. We had some defensive intensity at times, but could not sustain long enough to get to a set five. It is a disappointing loss, but we are focused on the quick turnaround with Stanford coming on Sunday."
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Utah, which improved to 10-2 overall (1-0 Pac-12), took the first set 25-14, before the Buffs (10-2, 0-1 Pac-12) stormed back to take the second set, 25-16. But after the intermission, the Utes defended their home court, taking the third and fourth sets 25-20 and 25-17, respectively.
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WHAT HAPPENED: Junior Frankie Shebby led the Buffs' attack with 12 kills, while another pair of juniors, Alexa Smith and Naghede Abu, each totaled 10 kills in the effort. Abu hit a match-high .286 and also posted a match-best five blocks, one solo and four assists.
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Smith also did well defensively, recording her fifth double-double of the season with 15 digs. Junior Gabby Carta-Samuels recorded a career-best 23 digs in the effort for her first career 20+ digs performance.
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Adora Anae hammered a match-high 21 kills for the Utes and also hit .271 while adding 21 digs. Three other Utes, Dani Barton, Tawnee Luafalemana and Carly Trueman each tallied 10 kills.
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SET 1: The game was tied 7-7 when the Utes recorded a 3-0 run to go up 10-7. CU got back within a point, but again the Utes pulled away. UU had a 15-11 lead at the media timeout and increased the advantage to 18-11 before the Buffs were forced to take a timeout. The break did not slow down the Utes as they added another three points before the Buffs were able to side-out (21-12). Utah went on to take the set 25-14.
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SET 2: The Buffs came out stronger, this time taking an 11-6 lead in the set before Utah needed to call a timeout. Colorado increased its lead a short time later to six points (15-9). The two sides continued to battle, but the Buffs were the first team to 20, leading 20-14. Utah sided-out on the following point, but Smith answered with a kill, giving CU a 21-15 advantage. Utah took a timeout after Smith's kill, but it did little to slow down the Buffs as they had all the momentum and finished the frame 25-16.
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SET 3: The third set started out more evenly and was tied at 5-5 early before Utah was able to take a 13-7 lead. CU took its first timeout to regroup and recorded the following point off a kill from Abu. Abu posted a block solo on the next point to bring the Buffs within four points (13-9) before UU answered with a pair of points of its own (15-9). Utah led 23-15 late in the set, but the Buffs were not giving up and tallied a 3-0 run, which forced UU to call a timeout. The Utes took the first point out of the break to get to set point and despite a block by Abu and Joslyn Hayes, as well as a kill from Abu, Utah took the set 25-20.
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SET 4: Utah used a 4-0 run to take an 8-5 advantage before the Buffs needed to take a timeout. Colorado was able to side-out, but was not able to slow down the Utes as they jumped ahead 13-7. CU took its second timeout of the set down 10-15, and took the following point off a kill from Smith. UU took the next point, but the Buffs responded with a big block from Anna Pfefferle and Brynna DeLuzio (16-12). Unfortunately the Buffs could not keep momentum on their side and Utah took the set, 25-17, to finish the match.
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TEAM STATISTICS: Utah led in most categories in the box score, except for blocks and aces. CU posted 9.0 team blocks to UU's 7.0 and also served up three aces to just one for the Utes. Utah hit .218 with 64 kills and 27 errors on 170 attacks, while the Buffs hit .145 with 43 kills and 20 kills on 159 swings. Utah recorded 81 digs to CU's 63.
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NEXT UP: The Buffs return to Boulder on Sunday, Sept. 24 for a match against No. 4 and reigning NCAA Champion Stanford. First serve is set for 12 p.m. at Coors Events Center.
QUOTES:
Head coach Jesse Mahoney
"Utah played a very clean match. They beat us in the serve pass game - keeping us out of rhythm offensively. We had some defensive intensity at times, but could not sustain long enough to get to a set five. It is a disappointing loss, but we are focused on the quick turnaround with Stanford coming on Sunday."
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Team Stats
COLO
UTAH
Kills
43
64
Errors
20
27
Attempts
160
170
Hitting %
.144
.218
Points
55.0
72.0
Assists
40
59
Aces
3
1
Blocks
9.0
7.0
Game Leaders
Kills
11
Aces
0
Blocks
4
Kills
11
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Kills
10
Aces
0
Blocks
5
Kills
4
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Players Mentioned
MB
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