Colorado State University Athletics
CSU wins Rams Volleyball Classic title
8/29/2015 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Photo Galleries: UC Davis | Northern Iowa
FORT COLLINS, Colo.— The 12th-ranked Colorado State volleyball team swept both UC Davis and Northern Iowa to win the Rams Volleyball Classic on Saturday at Moby Arena.
CSU (3-0) began the day with a 3-0 win over UC Davis (0-2), which included a triple-double from senior Adrianna Culbert. Culbert posted 10 kills, 20 assists and 12 digs in the win.
CSU won the first set 25-21, with Culbert recording four kills in the frame. Sophomore Alexandra Poletto provided strong service for CSU to open the second set, helping push the Rams to an early 8-2 lead. UC Davis bounced back and took a 17-15 lead in the set, but CSU closed on a 10-2 run to win 25-19. The Rams finished off UC Davis in the third set, winning 25-17 with an emphatic kill by senior Alex Reid to clinch the win.
The Rams returned to the court for a 7:30 p.m. match with Northern Iowa (1-2). Junior middle blocker Acacia Andrews was strong on the inside for the Rams, posting seven kills with zero errors, while helping keep Northern Iowa’s Bri Weber at bay, allowing the Panthers’ attacker only one kill on 24 attempts.
The defensive effort by the Rams was significant against the Panthers, as CSU had three players tally double-digit dig totals (led by Jaime Colaizzi’s 20) and a team total of nine blocks, including five from Andrews.
IN THEIR WORDS…
“We offensively can get significantly better than we are right now. I was worried about the middles during training camp and now those guys are good. I’m worried about consistency on the outsides.” – CSU Head Coach Tom Hilbert
“I don’t care if I set or hit. I like them both equally so whichever one helps the team the best is what I like to do. I just like to win really.” -- CSU senior outside hitter/setter Adrianna Culbert
“I think these matches were really important. I’ve progressively gotten better each match; finding the connection with the team, connecting with the setters and the rest of the players. I think that if I just keep working hard on trying to find that flow we’ll get better and better.” -- CSU senior outside hitter Alex Reid
STAT OF THE GAME…
12k, 20a, 12d – Adrianna Culbert’s triple-double stat line from CSU’s match versus UC Davis.
NOTES…
• Adrianna Culbert’s triple-double (10 kills, 20 assists, 12 digs) against UC Davis was the first for a CSU player since Ashley Fornstrom (52 assists, 14 digs, 10 blocks) accomplished the feat on Oct. 20, 2007 versus Utah. Culbert also became the 10th different CSU player to record a triple-double. Culbert’s triple-double was 16th total in Rams history. Culbert had already achieved a double-double before the end of the second set. Culbert entered the third frame with six kills, 14 assists and 10 digs. She also nearly had a triple-double in the nightcap against Northern Iowa, finishing with nine kills, 15 assists and 13 digs.
• Freshman Julia Cubbedge made her Rams debut in the first set against UC Davis, and quickly impacted the match with a kill on her first attack. Cubbedge efficiently tallied four kills against UC Davis (.300) and five versus Northern Iowa (.308). Cubbedge also added four blocks (two solo) against UC Davis.
• Junior middle blocker Acacia Andrews starred for CSU against Northern Iowa, posting seven kills (.636) and helping hold the Panthers’ Bri Weber to one kill on 24 attacks (-.292).
• Four players recorded six or more kills for CSU against UC Davis – Adrianna Culbert (10), Alex Reid (10), Jasmine Hanna (9) and Alexandra Poletto (6). The diversity in attack continued against Northern Iowa, as six players had five or more kills – Culbert (9), Reid (9), Hanna (7), Acacia Andrews (7), Julia Cubbedge (5) and Poletto (5).
• CSU put up a strong defensive performance against Northern Iowa, totaling 66 digs, led by Jaime Colaizzi with 20.
• The Rams improved to 41-6 (.872) in regular season tournaments since 2009. At home tournaments under Head Coach Tom Hilbert (since 1997), CSU is 75-13 (.852).
• The Rams have won their last nine home matches, dating back to Nov. 6, 2014.
• CSU has opened the season at 3-0 in each of the last six seasons.
NEXT UP:
CSU will co-host the CSU/UNC Tournament starting Friday with a matchup against No. 18 Arizona State at Moby Arena at 7 p.m. MT. The Rams will then host Western Michigan next Saturday at 7:30 p.m. MT. The match versus Western Michigan is CSU’s annual “Orange Out” game. Both matches will be streamed live at www.csurams.com/videos.
