Colorado State University Athletics
Friday, August 24
Fort Collins, Colo.
7 PM MT
Colorado State
0-1
2
vs
3
Illinois
2-0
1
2
3
4
5
F
Illinois
25
25
18
25
15
3
Colorado State
16
14
25
27
11
2
Rams set attendance record in season opener against No. 12 Illinois
8/24/2018 11:30:00 PM | Volleyball
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – The Colorado State volleyball team opened the 2018 season drawing a program-record 7,745 fans against No. 12 Illinois. The Rams dropped the first two sets, but came back to force the match to go to five frames before suffering a loss. CSU broke its previous attendance record that was set in 2014 against Wisconsin (7,018).
Illinois started the match using big scoring runs, which included a six-point streak to lead 20-14 and the scored the last five points of the set to take a 1-0 advantage.
Both teams battled in the second frame, but again, Illinois used a nine-point tear to lead 20-11 before closing the set scoring the last four points.
Following the break the Rams' offense rebounded as they played alongside the Illini as the set was tied 18-18. CSU used a scoring run itself – scoring the last seven points of the frame, which included three-consecutive blocks, to keep the match alive.
The fourth set saw 12 tie scores, including at 19-19 before the Rams took a 22-19 advantage late. Illinois wouldn't go down quietly as it went on a 5-1 run to tie the set at 24-24. CSU forced a final set as it finished the frame scoring three of the last four points.
In the final set, the Illini took a 9-5 advantage and kept its offense rolling taking the set and match, 15-11.
QUOTES
Head Coach Tom Hilbert on the season-opening match …
"We learned a lot tonight. We learned a lot about our team and we will go and try and improve on areas that we didn't play really well in. We started this match out playing very well I thought, but missing a lot of serves. We are missing those because we are asking our players to come out of their comfort zones while serving. We need to take those risks against teams like Illinois."
Kirstie Hillyer on the starting the season with a top opponent…
"I told Breana (Runnels) when we stepped on the court that I feel right at home. This feels great. I think our previous seasons and beginning them with top opponents definitely helped us tonight. It makes us go out and play hard right away and makes us a lot more comfortable."
Breana Runnels on the mind set going into the break, down 2-0…
"It was just 'play Ram volleyball, control what we can control on our side.' We can be dominators every point if we want to and have that mind set. I think the first two sets we were a little frazzled and we weren't completely in our comfort zone, but we came back and put up a good fight against a good team."
Head Coach Hilbert on Breana Runnels…
"I thought this match was one of the best matches the Breana (Runnels) has ever played. She is now stepping into this huge role for us and I thought she was terrific tonight"
STAT OF THE DAY
Breana Runnels recorded her first double-double of the season tallying 17 kills and 13 digs.
NOTES
- Breana Runnels led the offense with her 17 kills, while hitting .297. She also had three blocks.
- Kirstie Hillyer and Paulina Hougaard-Jensen tallied nine and eight kills, respectfully.
- Katie Oleksak charted 35 assists and seven digs.
- Amanda Young led the back row with 16 digs, while also dishing out four assists.
- Hillyer led the Rams at the net, recording six blocks.
- The Rams had 15 service errors and six receiving errors, while Illinois had eight each.
- Illinois out hit the Rams, .176 to .137 and 13 to 10 in blocks
- Sasha Colombo and Jacqi Van Liefde made their collegiate debuts in the match, with Colombo recording her first kill.
- Ellie Gubser made her first collegiate start as an outside hitter.
- The program set a new attendance record with 7,745 fans in Moby Arena.
- There were a total of 38 tie scores in the match and nine lead changes.
NEXT
Colorado State will host UNC Wilmington tomorrow morning starting at 11 a.m.
Illinois started the match using big scoring runs, which included a six-point streak to lead 20-14 and the scored the last five points of the set to take a 1-0 advantage.
Both teams battled in the second frame, but again, Illinois used a nine-point tear to lead 20-11 before closing the set scoring the last four points.
Following the break the Rams' offense rebounded as they played alongside the Illini as the set was tied 18-18. CSU used a scoring run itself – scoring the last seven points of the frame, which included three-consecutive blocks, to keep the match alive.
The fourth set saw 12 tie scores, including at 19-19 before the Rams took a 22-19 advantage late. Illinois wouldn't go down quietly as it went on a 5-1 run to tie the set at 24-24. CSU forced a final set as it finished the frame scoring three of the last four points.
In the final set, the Illini took a 9-5 advantage and kept its offense rolling taking the set and match, 15-11.
QUOTES
Head Coach Tom Hilbert on the season-opening match …
"We learned a lot tonight. We learned a lot about our team and we will go and try and improve on areas that we didn't play really well in. We started this match out playing very well I thought, but missing a lot of serves. We are missing those because we are asking our players to come out of their comfort zones while serving. We need to take those risks against teams like Illinois."
Kirstie Hillyer on the starting the season with a top opponent…
"I told Breana (Runnels) when we stepped on the court that I feel right at home. This feels great. I think our previous seasons and beginning them with top opponents definitely helped us tonight. It makes us go out and play hard right away and makes us a lot more comfortable."
Breana Runnels on the mind set going into the break, down 2-0…
"It was just 'play Ram volleyball, control what we can control on our side.' We can be dominators every point if we want to and have that mind set. I think the first two sets we were a little frazzled and we weren't completely in our comfort zone, but we came back and put up a good fight against a good team."
Head Coach Hilbert on Breana Runnels…
"I thought this match was one of the best matches the Breana (Runnels) has ever played. She is now stepping into this huge role for us and I thought she was terrific tonight"
STAT OF THE DAY
Breana Runnels recorded her first double-double of the season tallying 17 kills and 13 digs.
NOTES
- Breana Runnels led the offense with her 17 kills, while hitting .297. She also had three blocks.
- Kirstie Hillyer and Paulina Hougaard-Jensen tallied nine and eight kills, respectfully.
- Katie Oleksak charted 35 assists and seven digs.
- Amanda Young led the back row with 16 digs, while also dishing out four assists.
- Hillyer led the Rams at the net, recording six blocks.
- The Rams had 15 service errors and six receiving errors, while Illinois had eight each.
- Illinois out hit the Rams, .176 to .137 and 13 to 10 in blocks
- Sasha Colombo and Jacqi Van Liefde made their collegiate debuts in the match, with Colombo recording her first kill.
- Ellie Gubser made her first collegiate start as an outside hitter.
- The program set a new attendance record with 7,745 fans in Moby Arena.
- There were a total of 38 tie scores in the match and nine lead changes.
NEXT
Colorado State will host UNC Wilmington tomorrow morning starting at 11 a.m.
#PointRams
Team Stats
ILL
CSU
Kills
59
44
Errors
32
25
Attempts
153
139
Hitting %
.176
.137
Points
78.0
62.0
Assists
56
42
Aces
6
8
Blocks
13.0
10.0
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
17
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Kills
9
Aces
0
Blocks
6
Kills
8
Aces
1
Blocks
3
Kills
6
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Volleyball
OPP
/ VolleyballMB
/ VolleyballMB
/ Volleyball
S
/ VolleyballOH
/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
DS
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