Colorado State University Athletics
Colorado State
UNLV
Volleyball falls to UNLV in three
10/25/2007 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Oct. 25, 2007
Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
LAS VEGAS - The No. 18 Colorado State volleyball team will have to wait a little longer for the programs 650th win after UNLV handed the Rams their second Mountain West Conference loss in a 3-0 match (30-16, 30-27, 30-22) in Las Vegas Thursday night.
"UNLV played really well tonight," said Head Coach Tom Hilbert. "They had control in two of the three games. We will have to take what we learned and use it for the tournament."
Game 1 started with a series of tight rallies with both teams siding out for an 8-8 tie. The Rebels were able to put together a four-point run forcing a CSU timeout 12-8. The Rebels added three more quick points before the Rams sided out. UNLV was able to extend the lead to 10 points. Jaime Strauss cut the lead back to nine with a joust at the net. Tessa Nelson and Tonya Mokelki teamed up for the Rams first block of the match following the Rebels sideout. UNLV continued to control the tempo with deep serves and tight play at the net, extending the advantage to 28-15. The Rams block came alive for a point on a kill by the Rebels forced after the sideout gave the Rebels Game 1, 30-16.
The Rams hit just .081, a MWC single game low this season. Strauss had four kills while Mekana Barnes had three. UNLV hit .341 with 20 kills.
CSU jumped out to a 3-1 advantage in the second game before the Rebels tied the match at four. The teams knotted things up until the Rams rattled off a pair of kills by Strauss and Mokelki for the 9-7 lead. CSU started finding an offensive rhythm with another Mokelki kill after a scrappy rally. The game stayed really tight with the Rams holding the two-point advantage 14-12. The Rams extended the lead to four with a kill by Tessa Nelson and a block by Strauss and Nelson. The Rebels returned fire, cutting the lead to one at 16-15. Mokelki's kill, that ricocheted off the dig and into the rafters, gave the Rams back the two-point lead. A kill by the setter on the broken play after a sideout allowed the Rebels to tie the game at 18. The teams traded points through 23 before a kill by Mokelki put the Rams up one and forced the UNLV timeout. A Rams service error retied the game at 24. The Rebels took the lead after a trio of kills made the score 27-24. The Rams were unable to get past the UNLV block in the next play and a service ace by the Rebel's libero forced game point. Nelson nailed a ball straight down for a kill and Katelin Batten served an ace, making the score 29-26. CSU then blocked the ball in the middle before a kill from the right by UNLV gave the Rebels Game 2 30-27.
Strauss and Barnes each had eight kills at the end of Game 2. CSU hit .283 and had two more kills than UNLV with 20.
The Rams opened Game 3 with a block by Barnes and the next play was an UNLV error for the 2-0 lead. The Rebels tied things up. UNLV went up two after a pair of kills from the right side. The Rebels momentum continued as they blocked the Rams and put together a five-point run forcing the timeout by CSU at 10-5. The Rams responded with a three-point run to get to within three at 12-9. CSU got to within two after a dump by Fornstrom. UNLV returned fire with a 6-0 run to make the score 19-12. Fornstrom set Strauss and Mokelki for a kill each then aced the ball to make the score 19-15. Mokelki killed the ball to get within three before a Rebel tip made the lead four. Nelson sent the ball into the center of the court and Mokelki's solo block brought the game back to two points at 20-18. UNLV got a kill from the right side starting a five-point run for the 25-18 score. Minch killed the ball to the deep corner putting Batten on the service line. Mokelki killed the ball down the line for the 25-20 score. CSU was unable to recover, falling 30-22.
At this time the Rams Saturday match with San Diego State has not been rescheduled. Colorado State will travel to Denver for a non-conference match Tuesday at 7 p.m.
