Saturday, August 31
Boulder, Colo.
7:00 PM
Colorado
5-2
3
vs
1
UC Santa Barbara
9-1
1
2
3
4
F
UC Santa Barbara
16
19
25
21
1
Colorado
25
25
22
25
3
Team Stats
UCSB
CU
Kills
51
50
Errors
30
21
Attempts
146
128
Hitting %
.144
.227
Points
65
66
Assists
47
47
Aces
3
5
Blocks
11
11
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
21
Aces
1
Blocks
3
Kills
12
Aces
0
Blocks
4
Kills
10
Aces
2
Blocks
1
Kills
3
Aces
0
Blocks
6
Players Mentioned
S
/ Volleyball
MB
/ Volleyball
OH/L
/ VolleyballRS/MB
/ VolleyballMB
/ VolleyballOH
/ VolleyballOH
/ VolleyballPhoto by: Dan Madden
CU Wins Buffs Invitational With Victory Over Gauchos
August 31, 2019 | Volleyball
BOULDER – The University of Colorado women's volleyball team secured the Buffs Invitational title Saturday evening with a 3-1 (25-16, 25-19, 22-25, 25-21) victory over UC-Santa Barbara.
Colorado (3-0) remains undefeated this season, winning eight sets in a row to start off the year before the Gauchos (2-1) were able to squeeze a third set win. Sophomore setter Jenna Ewert was named the All-Tournament Most Valuable Player after dishing out 40 assists and 15 digs for her second double-double in a row. She passed out 99 assists this weekend, averaging 9.9 per set as well as tying for a team-high 34 digs (3.4 per set).
Senior outside hitter Justine Spann ended the tournament on a high note, hitting 21 kills with a .277 hitting percentage to dominate UCSB. Spann averaged more than five kills per set in a match for the first time in her career and did so while adding in five digs, three blocks and an ace for 24 points.
Stepping up with a big night was freshman right side Sterling Parker with a career-high 12 kills and a .375 hitting percentage. She also added four block assists, bringing her tournament total to 11, tied for second on the team. She was joined by fellow freshman Jill Schneggenburger, who picked up her first career double-double with 10 kills and 11 digs. Schneggenburger was also named to the All-Tournament team, finishing with 29 kills and 27 digs.
Defensively, defensive specialist Zoe Neverdowski stepped up with 15 huge digs, tying Ewert for the match-high. Danielle Price led the front with six block assists, while Meegan Hart added three. Both middles chipped in three kills.
The CU's defense carried the team to a quick 2-0 set lead, putting down seven blocks in the first two sets. Colorado finished with 11 total blocks tonight and 28 in the tournament, averaging 2.8 blocks per set as a team.
The Buffaloes take to the road next week to compete in the 2019 Pac-12/BIG TEN Challenge in Iowa City. CU will take on top-10 ranked Illinois and Iowa, who swept No.22 Washington State this weekend.
HOW IT HAPPENED
After relenting the first two points of the match, CU went on a 7-1 run to push to a 7-3 lead. The Gauchos were able to pull within one at 12-11, but a 9-2 run pushed CU to set point at 24-15, sealing the win two plays later at 25-16. Spann started her dominance with a quick four kills while CU picked up four blocks in the set.
The second set started with a quick CU three point run, with Spann and Parker each putting down massive kills. Two more runs of three gave CU a 12-5 lead. The teams traded points back-and-forth, but CU walked easily to a 20-14 lead. A pair of Spann kills along with additions from Schneggenburger and Hart finished the set off with ease at 25-19.
The third set began with teams close with a CU 7-5 lead, but a seven-point Gaucho run turned the tides. Colorado clawed back to a one-point match, then UCSB had a 5-1 run to push to an 18-13 lead. CU strung together a late five-point run behind a pair of kills and an ace to bring it within one at 22-21, but a Santa Barbara sideout and ace sealed the deal 25-22.
In the fourth and final set, the two teams traded blows and were neck-and-neck until 20-17 when the first three-point lead was earned by UCSB. Freshman Schneggenburger toed the line to serve and the team began to go to work, first with a Schneggenburger kill, an attack error from UCSB, back-to-back Spann kills, another attack error, a third Spann kill in the run and finally another UCSB error for seven-straight points and set up for match point, 24-20. One sideout later, Spann sealed the win, 25-21.
QUOTES
Head Coach Jesse Mahoney
On the match
"It was a really hard-fought match. There was a ton of talent out there on both sides. We controlled the first two sets and then they started playing really, really good volleyball for a long stretch. We were really good at the end on the fourth set. Jill (Schneggenburger) went back and served five in a row. Lillie (Klemmer) came in and got a really crucial block. Everyone did their part at the end. Both of our outsides were streaky good at times and then struggled at times. Part of that is us needing to get our middles a little bit more involved. With that said, we did enough to win tonight against a team that I think will be really successful this year. It is good to get three wins and feel good about ourselves going into a really big weekend."
On the weekend
"It feels really good. This weekend was a good opening weekend for us. It was a good test. We played better progressively, especially this last match (UCSB). We are excited to get out of the weekend winning three at home. Now we get to go on the road and play two really good BIG-10 schools."
Sophomore Setter Jenna Ewert
On the seven point run late in set 4
"I just kept telling the team that everyone has their own jobs to do. In set three we really weren't executing or doing our jobs, we were anxious in a way. So when we were getting closer to set point - the closer the game gets and the more intense it gets. The goal can get a little eschewed, it gets really intense and you can start getting messed up, so just reminding everyone to stay calm and everyone just do your one job and that will make up the team. You just want to play together and with intensity."
On winning MVP
"It was shocking actually. I wasn't expecting it. It is really humbling to get it. I am not really feeling like I played my best volleyball this weekend. That is probably why I was shocked. I think that will keep pushing me to play better. I am not satisfied with it at all."
Senior Outside Justine Spann
On her success soon the court tonight and feelings going into the rest of the season
"I was super excited to just get on the floor. I think that it with it being my senior year I am excited to just play my best every night. I want to have an outburst whenever I can, especially after this morning's performance was kind of slow on my part. I really just wanted to get focused in and really connect with Jenna as much as I can to get some energy. Energy is a really big thing on our team and generating that is what I want to do on the court. Moving onto next weekend I just want to keep the momentum rolling, like I said I want this year to be really big for us so I'm super excited about that."
Colorado (3-0) remains undefeated this season, winning eight sets in a row to start off the year before the Gauchos (2-1) were able to squeeze a third set win. Sophomore setter Jenna Ewert was named the All-Tournament Most Valuable Player after dishing out 40 assists and 15 digs for her second double-double in a row. She passed out 99 assists this weekend, averaging 9.9 per set as well as tying for a team-high 34 digs (3.4 per set).
Senior outside hitter Justine Spann ended the tournament on a high note, hitting 21 kills with a .277 hitting percentage to dominate UCSB. Spann averaged more than five kills per set in a match for the first time in her career and did so while adding in five digs, three blocks and an ace for 24 points.
Stepping up with a big night was freshman right side Sterling Parker with a career-high 12 kills and a .375 hitting percentage. She also added four block assists, bringing her tournament total to 11, tied for second on the team. She was joined by fellow freshman Jill Schneggenburger, who picked up her first career double-double with 10 kills and 11 digs. Schneggenburger was also named to the All-Tournament team, finishing with 29 kills and 27 digs.
Defensively, defensive specialist Zoe Neverdowski stepped up with 15 huge digs, tying Ewert for the match-high. Danielle Price led the front with six block assists, while Meegan Hart added three. Both middles chipped in three kills.
The CU's defense carried the team to a quick 2-0 set lead, putting down seven blocks in the first two sets. Colorado finished with 11 total blocks tonight and 28 in the tournament, averaging 2.8 blocks per set as a team.
The Buffaloes take to the road next week to compete in the 2019 Pac-12/BIG TEN Challenge in Iowa City. CU will take on top-10 ranked Illinois and Iowa, who swept No.22 Washington State this weekend.
HOW IT HAPPENED
After relenting the first two points of the match, CU went on a 7-1 run to push to a 7-3 lead. The Gauchos were able to pull within one at 12-11, but a 9-2 run pushed CU to set point at 24-15, sealing the win two plays later at 25-16. Spann started her dominance with a quick four kills while CU picked up four blocks in the set.
The second set started with a quick CU three point run, with Spann and Parker each putting down massive kills. Two more runs of three gave CU a 12-5 lead. The teams traded points back-and-forth, but CU walked easily to a 20-14 lead. A pair of Spann kills along with additions from Schneggenburger and Hart finished the set off with ease at 25-19.
The third set began with teams close with a CU 7-5 lead, but a seven-point Gaucho run turned the tides. Colorado clawed back to a one-point match, then UCSB had a 5-1 run to push to an 18-13 lead. CU strung together a late five-point run behind a pair of kills and an ace to bring it within one at 22-21, but a Santa Barbara sideout and ace sealed the deal 25-22.
In the fourth and final set, the two teams traded blows and were neck-and-neck until 20-17 when the first three-point lead was earned by UCSB. Freshman Schneggenburger toed the line to serve and the team began to go to work, first with a Schneggenburger kill, an attack error from UCSB, back-to-back Spann kills, another attack error, a third Spann kill in the run and finally another UCSB error for seven-straight points and set up for match point, 24-20. One sideout later, Spann sealed the win, 25-21.
QUOTES
Head Coach Jesse Mahoney
On the match
"It was a really hard-fought match. There was a ton of talent out there on both sides. We controlled the first two sets and then they started playing really, really good volleyball for a long stretch. We were really good at the end on the fourth set. Jill (Schneggenburger) went back and served five in a row. Lillie (Klemmer) came in and got a really crucial block. Everyone did their part at the end. Both of our outsides were streaky good at times and then struggled at times. Part of that is us needing to get our middles a little bit more involved. With that said, we did enough to win tonight against a team that I think will be really successful this year. It is good to get three wins and feel good about ourselves going into a really big weekend."
On the weekend
"It feels really good. This weekend was a good opening weekend for us. It was a good test. We played better progressively, especially this last match (UCSB). We are excited to get out of the weekend winning three at home. Now we get to go on the road and play two really good BIG-10 schools."
Sophomore Setter Jenna Ewert
On the seven point run late in set 4
"I just kept telling the team that everyone has their own jobs to do. In set three we really weren't executing or doing our jobs, we were anxious in a way. So when we were getting closer to set point - the closer the game gets and the more intense it gets. The goal can get a little eschewed, it gets really intense and you can start getting messed up, so just reminding everyone to stay calm and everyone just do your one job and that will make up the team. You just want to play together and with intensity."
On winning MVP
"It was shocking actually. I wasn't expecting it. It is really humbling to get it. I am not really feeling like I played my best volleyball this weekend. That is probably why I was shocked. I think that will keep pushing me to play better. I am not satisfied with it at all."
Senior Outside Justine Spann
On her success soon the court tonight and feelings going into the rest of the season
"I was super excited to just get on the floor. I think that it with it being my senior year I am excited to just play my best every night. I want to have an outburst whenever I can, especially after this morning's performance was kind of slow on my part. I really just wanted to get focused in and really connect with Jenna as much as I can to get some energy. Energy is a really big thing on our team and generating that is what I want to do on the court. Moving onto next weekend I just want to keep the momentum rolling, like I said I want this year to be really big for us so I'm super excited about that."
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