Colorado Sweeps LIU, Plays UCSB For Buffs Invitational Title

BOULDER – The University of Colorado women's volleyball team remained undefeated after taking down Long Island University, 3-0 (25-21, 25-15, 25-23), to set up a Buffs Invitational title match against UCSB tonight at 7 p.m.

Colorado was led by sophomore setter Jenna Ewert who recorded her first double-double of the season with 27 assists and a match-high 15 digs. She added three kills in four tries and a block.

The main benefactor from Ewert was freshman Jill Schneggenburger. The outside had a team-high 11 kills while hitting .348 for her first double-digit kills performance as a Buff. She nearly added her first double-double, finishing the match with nine digs and a block.

Also for Colorado, Justine Spann and Sterling Parker each added eight kills. Spann, who had an amazing 26 service attempts with two aces, also added five digs while Parker led the team with five block assists.

Defensively, Meegan Hart had a solo block and four block assists to control the front, while Rachel Whipple had a dozen digs in the back.

CU was dominate in every phase of the match, holding LIU to just a .018 team hitting percentage while controlling the front with three blocks per set.

The Buffs take on UC Santa Barbara for the Buffs Invitational championship after UCSB held off Wyoming in five sets this afternoon.

HOW IT HAPPENED
After Colorado captured three-straight points to open the match, both teams settled into a grudge match that went back-and-forth with 10 tied scores and four lead changes. The final tie came at 19 all before CU picked up three-straight points The Buffs ended out on a 6-2 run to close the first set holding the Sharks to just a .073 hitting percentage.

The second set was less kind to the Sharks as picked up the opening point before Justine Spann went to the service line for 10 straight trips as CU jumped to a 11-1 lead before LIU finally had a sideout. In the run CU had a pair of aces and three-straight blocks. The 10-point lead was enough to hold the rest of the set as the teams traded points back and forth to a 25-15 final.

In the final set, CU jumped to a 6-3 lead off of a four-point run, but a responding three point run tied it back up. LIU slowly built a 17-13 lead, but another four-point run for CU tied it up. LIU pushed to a 22-20 lead and looked to extend the match, but a 5-1 that included a Spann kill and Parker/Hart block ended the match and set LIU packing.

QUOTES
Head Coach Jesse Mahoney

On The Match
"We played a really good match last night. We had a very quick turnaround. We got out of here late and in early. We talked about being up and ready and energized. I think it took a while for that to happen. Long Island has a couple really nice attackers. We keyed in on them pretty well. Defensively we did a pretty good job. Our rhythm offensively was not where it needs to be. We will learn from that. We are going to have to play a really good match here tonight against Santa Barbara, a team that didn't have any trouble with LIU. We will get in, watch some film and get ready for the match tonight."

On First And Third Set Struggles
"I don't think we were awake in the first set. We won the second set too easily. We went into the third set thinking, 'This match is over.' That team across the net had nothing to lose. They are going to play as hard as they can. This is a signature match for them. We didn't treat it with the right respect that we should have."

On Freshman OH Jill Schneggenburger
"Jill is two matches out and hitting .290 in her career here. If we can keep those numbers up that would be great. She has been in a lot of big matches as a club player. I don't think the stage is too much for her. It is good to see her playing with some really good rhythm and confidence."

Colorado Sweeps LIU, Plays UCSB For Buffs Invitational Title

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Team Stats

Jill Schneggenburger

Justine Spann

Sterling Parker

Jenna Ewert

Players Mentioned

Jenna Ewert

Meegan Hart

Sterling Parker

Jill Schneggenburger

Justine Spann

Rachel Whipple

Players Mentioned

Jenna Ewert

Meegan Hart

Sterling Parker

Jill Schneggenburger

Justine Spann

Rachel Whipple