Colorado State University Athletics
Saturday, November 16
Fort Collins, Colo.
12 PM MT
Colorado State
26-1, 16-0MW
3
vs
0
Boise State
16-11, 8-8MW
1
2
3
F
Boise St.
21
19
15
0
Colorado State
25
25
25
3
Photo by: Cris Tiller
No. 12 Rams Clinch 21st Mountain West Title
11/16/2019 3:15:00 PM | Volleyball
Colorado State swept Boise State to clinch at least a share of the Mountain West title and its 25th consecutive NCAA Tournament bid.
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Saturday was for the seniors.
Colorado State volleyball head coach Tom Hilbert was a wreck before the match. A crowd of 3,768 people, comprised of alumni, family members and fans were also trying not to melt into a puddle of tears. It was all for the seniors -- five players who have played in a combined 524 matches for the Rams.
Boise State was a fitting opponent. They're the team which prevented the Rams' seniors from four consecutive Mountain West titles. After their 25-21, 25-19, 25-15 win, a sigh of relief was only natural, clinching a share of their third consecutive MW title, the 10th in the past 11 seasons.
"I'm really pleased to win this (one)," Hilbert said. "I thought the environment in the gym was incredible. This was a really, really fun match. I'm super proud."
Every part of the match expressed gratitude. Paulina Hougaard-Jensen, per team tradition, was treated to her native Danish national anthem before the game. Each senior was given a moment to bask to cherish an ovation alongside their family. The five were even named the Rams "Heart of the Game."
Their one goal was to simply hold in the tears until after the win. It's no surprise for a team that does everything in the pursuit of victories. The seniors' teammates couldn't hold back though.
They're losing a part of the family.
"Their team experience is what it should be. They're bonded," Hilbert said. "These are friends that they make for life. They all know it. You can see it if you've been up in the loft before the game. There's women up there (that are) my age that played together here in the '70s and '80s, and it's like they never left.
"There's a love here and a bond that they won't get anywhere else."
Having to battle an altered pregame routine – tears and all – the pressure of a 24-match win streak and arguably the best team CSU will face in conference this year added to the strain.
"It was a very healthy pressure," Katie Oleksak said. "Playing with the same group of girls, we really took the pressure off of each other. We just wanted to have fun; that's when we play best."
Naturally, the defense that's propelled the Rams all year showed up once again. The nation's best-hitting defense, they held the Broncos to a minus-.073 hitting percentage, the lowest of any opponent this year. Their 16 blocks were the third-most of any match this year.
In each of the match's three sets, the Broncos were unable to put together a positive hitting percentage. With the NCAA Tournament approaching, the ability to execute in the face of adversity is something which bodes well for the Rams.
"The matches will be harder, the athletes we'll be playing against will be bigger," Hilbert said. "It's about us not judging how good we are by the score, but how good we are by the fact that we got 16 blocks. Those are the things that are important.
"We (would've) block anybody today that many times."
On a day when everyone was expected to look back, the team is full of players looking forward. They're stuck on exclaiming, "We're not done yet."
The Rams aren't part of the selection committee for the NCAA Tournament. If they were, this wouldn't be the last home game for the five seniors.
If the win ends up being the final chapter in this era, they went out right.
MATCH NOTES
- The Rams clinched at least a share of the Mountain West Championship – a win at San Jose State on Thursday would give them the outright championship
- CSU won its 21st Mountain West Championship and 16th regular season, including its third straight and 10th in the last 11 seasons
- Colorado State also earned its 25th consecutive NCAA Tournament bid, holding the AQ tie breaker with Wyoming
- Breana Runnels led the Rams with 14 kills and hitting a blistering .520
- Jessica Jackson added nine kills, while Kirstie Hillyer tallied eight and controlled the net with nine blocks
- The Rams finished the sweep with 16 blocks, including seven in the second
- Katie Oleksak dished out 33 assists and added four blocks and two digs
UP NEXT
Colorado State will finish its Mountain West Conference schedule on the road next week at San Jose State and Nevada.
Colorado State volleyball head coach Tom Hilbert was a wreck before the match. A crowd of 3,768 people, comprised of alumni, family members and fans were also trying not to melt into a puddle of tears. It was all for the seniors -- five players who have played in a combined 524 matches for the Rams.
Boise State was a fitting opponent. They're the team which prevented the Rams' seniors from four consecutive Mountain West titles. After their 25-21, 25-19, 25-15 win, a sigh of relief was only natural, clinching a share of their third consecutive MW title, the 10th in the past 11 seasons.
"I'm really pleased to win this (one)," Hilbert said. "I thought the environment in the gym was incredible. This was a really, really fun match. I'm super proud."
Every part of the match expressed gratitude. Paulina Hougaard-Jensen, per team tradition, was treated to her native Danish national anthem before the game. Each senior was given a moment to bask to cherish an ovation alongside their family. The five were even named the Rams "Heart of the Game."
Their one goal was to simply hold in the tears until after the win. It's no surprise for a team that does everything in the pursuit of victories. The seniors' teammates couldn't hold back though.
They're losing a part of the family.
"Their team experience is what it should be. They're bonded," Hilbert said. "These are friends that they make for life. They all know it. You can see it if you've been up in the loft before the game. There's women up there (that are) my age that played together here in the '70s and '80s, and it's like they never left.
"There's a love here and a bond that they won't get anywhere else."
Having to battle an altered pregame routine – tears and all – the pressure of a 24-match win streak and arguably the best team CSU will face in conference this year added to the strain.
"It was a very healthy pressure," Katie Oleksak said. "Playing with the same group of girls, we really took the pressure off of each other. We just wanted to have fun; that's when we play best."
Naturally, the defense that's propelled the Rams all year showed up once again. The nation's best-hitting defense, they held the Broncos to a minus-.073 hitting percentage, the lowest of any opponent this year. Their 16 blocks were the third-most of any match this year.
In each of the match's three sets, the Broncos were unable to put together a positive hitting percentage. With the NCAA Tournament approaching, the ability to execute in the face of adversity is something which bodes well for the Rams.
"The matches will be harder, the athletes we'll be playing against will be bigger," Hilbert said. "It's about us not judging how good we are by the score, but how good we are by the fact that we got 16 blocks. Those are the things that are important.
"We (would've) block anybody today that many times."
On a day when everyone was expected to look back, the team is full of players looking forward. They're stuck on exclaiming, "We're not done yet."
The Rams aren't part of the selection committee for the NCAA Tournament. If they were, this wouldn't be the last home game for the five seniors.
If the win ends up being the final chapter in this era, they went out right.
MATCH NOTES
- The Rams clinched at least a share of the Mountain West Championship – a win at San Jose State on Thursday would give them the outright championship
- CSU won its 21st Mountain West Championship and 16th regular season, including its third straight and 10th in the last 11 seasons
- Colorado State also earned its 25th consecutive NCAA Tournament bid, holding the AQ tie breaker with Wyoming
- Breana Runnels led the Rams with 14 kills and hitting a blistering .520
- Jessica Jackson added nine kills, while Kirstie Hillyer tallied eight and controlled the net with nine blocks
- The Rams finished the sweep with 16 blocks, including seven in the second
- Katie Oleksak dished out 33 assists and added four blocks and two digs
UP NEXT
Colorado State will finish its Mountain West Conference schedule on the road next week at San Jose State and Nevada.
#PointRams
Team Stats
BSU
CSU
Kills
23
37
Errors
30
15
Attempts
96
88
Hitting %
-.073
.250
Points
36.0
55.0
Assists
21
37
Aces
6
2
Blocks
7.0
16.0
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
14
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
9
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
8
Aces
0
Blocks
9
Kills
4
Aces
0
Blocks
8
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Volleyball
MB
/ VolleyballOH
/ Volleyball
S
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