Buffs Fall to Cowgirls in Four

Sunday, September 15

Boulder, Colo.

1 PM

Colorado

6-4,0-0Big 12

Wyoming

6-2,0-0Mountain West

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
Wyoming	20	25	25	25	3
Colorado	25	20	19	10	1

September 15, 2024 | Volleyball

Box Score Box Score

Senior setter Taylor Simpson was named MVP of Buffs Invitational and Colorado placed first overall

By: Malala Pyle, Assistant Director of Athletic Communication

BOULDER – The Colorado volleyball team (6-4) fell to the Wyoming Cowgirls (25-20, 20-25, 19-25, 10-25) in the Buffs Invitational at CU Events Center on Sunday.

Senior setter Taylor Simpson was the Buffs Invitational MVP and -- as Colorado earned first place in the tournament -- one of three All-Tournament Team selections. Sophomore middle blocker Cayla Payne and sophomore outside hitter Sydney Jordan were also named to the Buffs Invitational All-Tournament Team.

The Buffs had a great first set, with six kills from Jordan and no hitting errors from junior middle blocker Bella Simkus and Payne. Simpson also had two aces and four digs in set one, and the team had four aces.

Colorado had a competitive second and third set, but the Cowgirls did not let up and took the match, 3-1. Colorado still managed to out-ace (5-4) and out-dig (48-44) Wyoming in the four-setter.

KEY PLAYERS:

Sr. S Taylor Simpson had 32 assists and nine digs on the afternoon, digging 65% of the balls hit at her. She finished Buffs Invite with 122 total assists and 21 digs.
So. OH Sydney Jordan had 12 kills and nine digs against the Cowgirls. She ended the weekend with 37 kills and 23 digs.
So. MB Cayla Payne reached six kills and two blocks for Colorado. She finished Buffs Invitational with 27 kills and 10 blocks.
So. DS/L Avery Bolles matched her career-high in digs set last night against Cal with 12 at her second start as libero. She also dug 58% of the balls hit at her.
So. OH Ana Burilovic reached a double-double for the Buffs with 12 kills and 10 digs (69% dig percentage). She also ended with a block. Burilovic had the opponent out of system on her serve 69% of the time.
Jr. MB Bella Simkus recorded four kills with zero errors for the Buffs, hitting .571 on the match. She also had one dig and one block.
Fr. DS/L Kaite Salonga kept the opponent out of system on 67% of her serves and notched an ace.
For the Cowgirls, Sierra Grizzle had 14 digs and Paige Lauterwasser had 11 kills.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

After taking the lead early in the first set, Colorado went on a 6-1 run with four kills from Jordan and a Salonga ace (19-11). The Cowgirls narrowed the Buffs' lead, but Colorado put set one away with kills from Burilovic and Dwinell, and an ace from Simpson (25-20). Jordan had six kills in set one, and both middles totaled for four kills with zero errors.
Wyoming led early in set two, going on its own 6-1 run (7-2). Colorado responded with a 3-0 run with a kill and an ace from Burilovic, but the Cowgirls scored four-straight to extend the lead (14-7). The Buffs managed to go on a 4-0 run to come within three but couldn't come back in the second and the Cowgirls took set two, 25-20.
Set three was tight to start, seeing 10 tie scores and six lead changes (17-17), until Wyoming scored five-straight late in the set (22-17). Simpson had a well-timed dump and Burilovic had a kill, but the Cowgirls leaned in and won the third, 25-19.
Wyoming came out swinging in the fourth, going up 9-1 and never letting up. Burilovic had two kills, Payne and Jordan each had one, and redshirt freshman Annelise Rising saw her first kill of the season. The Cowgirls took the fourth set, 25-10.

UP NEXT:

The Battle for the Golden Spike returns this week, as Colorado will go head-to-head with nonconference rival Colorado State in Fort Collins on Thursday, Sept. 19, and at CU Events Center on Friday, Sept. 20. First serve on Thursday is set for 6 p.m. MT and for 7 p.m. MT on Friday. Thursday's match will be on Mountain West Network and Friday's will be broadcast on ESPN+, and links to watch both matches are available at CUBuffs.com.

MATCH NOTES:

Colorado moves to 15-9 all-time against Wyoming.
So. DS/L Avery Bolles matched her career-high in digs with 12.

TOURNAMENT PLACING (determined by head-to-head record):
1st - Colorado (2-1)
2nd - Cal (2-1)
3rd - UCI (1-2)
4th - Wyoming (1-2)

BUFFS INVITATIONAL ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM:
Taylor Simpson (Colorado)(MVP)
Cayla Payne (Colorado)
Sydney Jordan (Colorado)
Kate Mansfield (Cal)
Peyton DeJardin (Cal)
Hunter Riedl (UCI)
Paige Lauterwasser (Wyoming)

Under ninth-year head coach Jesse Mahoney, Colorado earned a winning record in the 2023 season (16-15) and went 8-12 against Pac-12 opponents. A significant win for the Buffs took place against 17th-ranked Arizona State last year. The Buffs took down the Sun Devils in three sets, completing the sweep and earning CU's only win against a ranked opponent in the 2023 season. Colorado also swept Arizona (Oct. 20) and Washington (Nov. 19) and finished seventh in the Pac-12.

For more information on the Colorado volleyball team, please visit cubuffs.com/vb. Fans of the Buffs can follow @cubuffsvb on Instagram, X, and Facebook.