Colorado State University Athletics
Friday, August 30
Fort Collins, Colo.
11 AM MT
Colorado State
1-0
3
vs
0
Chicago State
0-1
1
2
3
F
Chicago State
7
16
17
0
Colorado State
25
25
25
3
Rams sweep Cougars in season opener
8/30/2019 2:32:00 PM | Volleyball
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – There were things that simply needed to be seen. Others, well, Tom Hilbert just wanted to see them.
Welcome to the opening match of the 2019 Colorado State volleyball season.
With the Rams returning all of their offensive firepower from a season prior, the questions were all in the back row. Who was going to handle the libero chores and who can they count on as defensive specialists? The offense is there, no doubt, but it can't develop without passing.
The Rams passed – balls and the tests, if you will – in a 25-7, 25-16, 25-17 sweep of Chicago State at Moby Arena on Friday morning. The match is part of an opening weekend which concludes Saturday with matches against Cal (1 p.m.) and Oklahoma for a White-Out performance (7:30 p.m.)
At one point in the third set, the Rams back row consisted of true freshmen defensive specialists Alyssa Bert and Brooke Hudson, with Creighton transfer Alexa Roumeliotis wearing the off-color jersey. Hilbert, Colorado State's head coach, gave them all (as well as returner Jenna Heinemeyer) ample time to prove themselves and settle in to the flow of collegiate play, and not a single one of them disappointed their coach.
"I thought that defensively for the first match of the season we played great," Hilbert said. "It's not just digging a hard shot, it's scrambling, making plays over our head, making plays on crazy ball handles, and we did that really well. That was really nice to see.
"They were outstanding, really. The biggest improvement we've made last year is defensively."
The Rams are counting on all of them, and that isn't lost on any of the newcomers. Still, they provided a sense of calm with the way they played.
Roumeliotis led the team with 14 digs, while Bert had three and Hudson one against a team which hit just -.022. Again, they all made the hustle plays, and their ball handling was more than just encouraging from the outset.
"I was extremely nervous at first, but then I got in, and I decided I couldn't be nervous anymore because I had to play, I had to play my best," Bert said. "That's what I did, and I really tried to make an impact serving, because I like to get my own points, too."
So, on her first collegiate serve, she nailed down the first of two aces, and there was no holding back the pure joy of the moment for her. It was a heck of an introduction.
"Right?" she said. "That felt great. I was so excited. Very memorable."
For the veteran Rams, the way they played brings about a sense of comfort. What they've seen in practice has been good, but through three weeks of camp, players get used to the way their teammates hit and serve. It was time to be exposed to something new and adapt.
All it did was reaffirm for Breana Runnels what she already believed would happen.
"The defensive specialists are really going to play a big role this year. There are more of them, we're more confident and also, we just want to give our hitters a chance to go up and swing," Runnels said. "Honestly, I'm really proud of all of them. Having our freshmen come out and start and do a really good job is kinda, not surprising, but I'm proud of them and happy for them. I think they're also ready to really get going into the season, as well."
Hilbert also used the final two sets to work redshirt freshman Cierra Zimmerman into the mix. After two-time Mountain West player of the year Katie Oleksak ran the offense the first set (15 assists), Zimmerman entered and dished out 20 of her own.
Yes, Hilbert thinks she's a really talented player and he wants to give her some sets she's earned in practice, as well as prepare her for next year. No, there is not a controversy at setter, as he noted Oleksak is one of the best players in the country.
That first set, the Rams hit .750 as a team. Runnels started her season with 13 kills, with Kirstie Hillyer adding eight, Jessica Jackson seven and Paulina Hougaard-Jensen six.
The Rams can hit. They knew that. They can block, closing with 11.
Still, it was fun for them to go out and prove it, even if the normal cast of characters was on the floor for just the opening set.
"In the past couple of weeks, I've just felt like I was struggling," Runnels said. "I was ready to get on the court and play not just our players. Being on the court and being against a different team, I was able to bring out my competitive mode and I was able to perform.
"Those things are still there. We know who we are, and we just want to show it every day."
MATCH NOTES
- The Rams' offense finished with a .400 hitting mark, while keep the Cougars below the surface with a -.022 tick.
- CSU also recorded 11 blocks, led by Paulina Hougaard-Jensen and Kirstie Hillyer who each had five.
- Senior setting Katie Oleksak played just one set, before Ciera Zimmerman played in each of the three frames.
- Freshmen Alyssa Bert, Brooke Hudson and junior transfer Alexa Roumeliotis made their debut, including Hudson who started the match for her first collegiate start.
- Breana Runnels led the team with 13 kills, while adding eight digs. The junior floored five kills in both the second and third sets.
- The Rams had an individual with five kills in each set, (Jessica Jackson in set one).
- Alexa Roumeliotis paced the back row with 14 digs in her Green and Gold debut.
- Ciera Zimmerman and Katie Oleksak combined for 36 assists – (Zimmerman 21, Oleksak 15)
UP NEXT
Colorado State will take on California on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m., in Moby Arena before finishing the week playing Oklahoma at 7:30 p.m., for its annual 'White Out' match.
Welcome to the opening match of the 2019 Colorado State volleyball season.
With the Rams returning all of their offensive firepower from a season prior, the questions were all in the back row. Who was going to handle the libero chores and who can they count on as defensive specialists? The offense is there, no doubt, but it can't develop without passing.
The Rams passed – balls and the tests, if you will – in a 25-7, 25-16, 25-17 sweep of Chicago State at Moby Arena on Friday morning. The match is part of an opening weekend which concludes Saturday with matches against Cal (1 p.m.) and Oklahoma for a White-Out performance (7:30 p.m.)
At one point in the third set, the Rams back row consisted of true freshmen defensive specialists Alyssa Bert and Brooke Hudson, with Creighton transfer Alexa Roumeliotis wearing the off-color jersey. Hilbert, Colorado State's head coach, gave them all (as well as returner Jenna Heinemeyer) ample time to prove themselves and settle in to the flow of collegiate play, and not a single one of them disappointed their coach.
"I thought that defensively for the first match of the season we played great," Hilbert said. "It's not just digging a hard shot, it's scrambling, making plays over our head, making plays on crazy ball handles, and we did that really well. That was really nice to see.
"They were outstanding, really. The biggest improvement we've made last year is defensively."
The Rams are counting on all of them, and that isn't lost on any of the newcomers. Still, they provided a sense of calm with the way they played.
Roumeliotis led the team with 14 digs, while Bert had three and Hudson one against a team which hit just -.022. Again, they all made the hustle plays, and their ball handling was more than just encouraging from the outset.
"I was extremely nervous at first, but then I got in, and I decided I couldn't be nervous anymore because I had to play, I had to play my best," Bert said. "That's what I did, and I really tried to make an impact serving, because I like to get my own points, too."
So, on her first collegiate serve, she nailed down the first of two aces, and there was no holding back the pure joy of the moment for her. It was a heck of an introduction.
"Right?" she said. "That felt great. I was so excited. Very memorable."
For the veteran Rams, the way they played brings about a sense of comfort. What they've seen in practice has been good, but through three weeks of camp, players get used to the way their teammates hit and serve. It was time to be exposed to something new and adapt.
All it did was reaffirm for Breana Runnels what she already believed would happen.
"The defensive specialists are really going to play a big role this year. There are more of them, we're more confident and also, we just want to give our hitters a chance to go up and swing," Runnels said. "Honestly, I'm really proud of all of them. Having our freshmen come out and start and do a really good job is kinda, not surprising, but I'm proud of them and happy for them. I think they're also ready to really get going into the season, as well."
Hilbert also used the final two sets to work redshirt freshman Cierra Zimmerman into the mix. After two-time Mountain West player of the year Katie Oleksak ran the offense the first set (15 assists), Zimmerman entered and dished out 20 of her own.
Yes, Hilbert thinks she's a really talented player and he wants to give her some sets she's earned in practice, as well as prepare her for next year. No, there is not a controversy at setter, as he noted Oleksak is one of the best players in the country.
That first set, the Rams hit .750 as a team. Runnels started her season with 13 kills, with Kirstie Hillyer adding eight, Jessica Jackson seven and Paulina Hougaard-Jensen six.
The Rams can hit. They knew that. They can block, closing with 11.
Still, it was fun for them to go out and prove it, even if the normal cast of characters was on the floor for just the opening set.
"In the past couple of weeks, I've just felt like I was struggling," Runnels said. "I was ready to get on the court and play not just our players. Being on the court and being against a different team, I was able to bring out my competitive mode and I was able to perform.
"Those things are still there. We know who we are, and we just want to show it every day."
MATCH NOTES
- The Rams' offense finished with a .400 hitting mark, while keep the Cougars below the surface with a -.022 tick.
- CSU also recorded 11 blocks, led by Paulina Hougaard-Jensen and Kirstie Hillyer who each had five.
- Senior setting Katie Oleksak played just one set, before Ciera Zimmerman played in each of the three frames.
- Freshmen Alyssa Bert, Brooke Hudson and junior transfer Alexa Roumeliotis made their debut, including Hudson who started the match for her first collegiate start.
- Breana Runnels led the team with 13 kills, while adding eight digs. The junior floored five kills in both the second and third sets.
- The Rams had an individual with five kills in each set, (Jessica Jackson in set one).
- Alexa Roumeliotis paced the back row with 14 digs in her Green and Gold debut.
- Ciera Zimmerman and Katie Oleksak combined for 36 assists – (Zimmerman 21, Oleksak 15)
UP NEXT
Colorado State will take on California on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m., in Moby Arena before finishing the week playing Oklahoma at 7:30 p.m., for its annual 'White Out' match.
#PointRams
Team Stats
CS
CSU
Kills
20
46
Errors
21
9
Attempts
94
86
Hitting %
-.011
.430
Points
22.0
62.0
Assists
18
44
Aces
1
5
Blocks
1.0
11.0
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
14
Aces
1
Blocks
3
Kills
9
Aces
0
Blocks
5
Kills
8
Aces
0
Blocks
5
Kills
7
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Players Mentioned
DS/L
/ Volleyball
DS
/ VolleyballMB
/ VolleyballMB
/ Volleyball
DS/L
/ VolleyballOH
/ Volleyball
S
/ Volleyball
S
/ Volleyball
DS/L
/ VolleyballOH
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