Colorado State University Athletics
Thursday, September 12
Fort Collins, Colo.
7 PM MT
Colorado State
6-1
3
vs
0
Colorado
5-1
1
2
3
F
Colorado
12
12
21
0
Colorado State
25
25
25
3
Photo by: Nick Monaghan
Rams Dominate No. 19 Colorado in Packed Orange Out
9/12/2019 9:39:00 PM | Volleyball
Colorado State sweeps the Buffs for the first time since 2010 in front of 4,085
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Colorado State took a direct approach.
A crowd of 4,085 at Moby Arena was going to do its part in making No. 19 Colorado uncomfortable Thursday night, but the Rams' volleyball team had to do the hard part at the service line to keep the Buffs offense from gaining any traction.
"The plan serving tonight was to go for their outsides and get them out of system, and just serve your best serve, serve aggressively and I think we did a really good job of executing the game plan on that," freshman defensive specialist Brooke Hudson said. "In the first two sets, they don't know what you're doing, but in the third, they know. It's hard to keep it up, because it's a tiring match and they're our rival.
"It was just focusing on it and being precise. In the beginning of the third set, we were a little rocky, but we cleaned it up."
The Rams were point-scoring above a 60 percent clip most of the night, settling in at 58.9 percent in a 25-12, 25-15, 25-21 sweep, the first against Colorado since 2010. To make it even more effective, the serve receive was up to task, siding out at 67.4 percent.
Yes, Colorado State did put up 10 service errors, but they added four aces, three from Hudson. The Rams were aggressive without being out of control, and with Colorado unable to set up a consistent attack, the Buffs only hit .000.
"We've got kids that are really bringing it," CSU coach Tom Hilbert said. "The end of the game, they started passing better. I don't think our pressure went down, I think they just improved as passers. We've been doing that. We were doing that at TCU, driving the ball, and it was just messing with these guys."
The early going has been a major improvement from what the Rams did a season ago, where the service line was a hindrance as much as a positive. In some matches, they ended up having to pull back a bit.
Thursday, the Rams just kept pushing.
"It's so much better, as you could tell from tonight," said CSU setter Katie Oleksak, who dished out 32 assists. "It just really makes a difference, not only making your serves in, but making hard-driven serves in, because that really throws their offense off. Especially against a team like CU, which has such a fast offense."
Paring strong serving with excellent serve receive makes for, well, a sweep.
Both aspects allowed everything to click for the hosts. They hit well, paced by Breana Runnels and her 14 kills, the first half of which came of a mere eight swings. Pin partner Jessica Jackson finished with nine, and middles Kirstie Hillyer and Paulina Hougaard-Jensen combined for 12.
Friday night will be the tricky part of a back-to-back, home-and-home set with the newly minted Golden Spike trophy on the line. Colorado has seen what Colorado State has to offer, and adjustments will be made on both side, with each team possessing less than 24 hours to figure it out.
Somehow, the Rams have to find a way to keep the same mojo when the crowd will no longer be on their side and facing a team looking at falling out of the national rankings. Maybe to be replaced by a team receiving votes (CSU sat just one spot out of the poll).
"I think we need to stay consistent in that," Hudson said. "We need to do a better job of not letting our focus slip. If we play like that, I think we can beat everybody."
THE SWEEP…
- Was the sixth of the season and fifth consecutive
- Was the first against Colorado since 2010
- Snapped a three-match skid in the series
- Was the second sweep against a ranked opponent of the season
MATCH NOTES
- The Rams are now 24-14 overall and 16-5 in Moby Arena against the Buffs
- Breana Runnels led the Rams with 14 kills while hitting a blistering .520
- Jessica Jackson followed with nine kills and hit .438
- Katie Oleksak dished out 32 assists, grabbed seven digs and three blocks
- Olivia Nicholson led the back row with 11 digs and put up a pair of blocks
- Paulina Hougaard-Jensen was tough to hit through, recording a team-high four blocks
- Brooke Hudson dropped in three aces
A crowd of 4,085 at Moby Arena was going to do its part in making No. 19 Colorado uncomfortable Thursday night, but the Rams' volleyball team had to do the hard part at the service line to keep the Buffs offense from gaining any traction.
"The plan serving tonight was to go for their outsides and get them out of system, and just serve your best serve, serve aggressively and I think we did a really good job of executing the game plan on that," freshman defensive specialist Brooke Hudson said. "In the first two sets, they don't know what you're doing, but in the third, they know. It's hard to keep it up, because it's a tiring match and they're our rival.
"It was just focusing on it and being precise. In the beginning of the third set, we were a little rocky, but we cleaned it up."
The Rams were point-scoring above a 60 percent clip most of the night, settling in at 58.9 percent in a 25-12, 25-15, 25-21 sweep, the first against Colorado since 2010. To make it even more effective, the serve receive was up to task, siding out at 67.4 percent.
Yes, Colorado State did put up 10 service errors, but they added four aces, three from Hudson. The Rams were aggressive without being out of control, and with Colorado unable to set up a consistent attack, the Buffs only hit .000.
"We've got kids that are really bringing it," CSU coach Tom Hilbert said. "The end of the game, they started passing better. I don't think our pressure went down, I think they just improved as passers. We've been doing that. We were doing that at TCU, driving the ball, and it was just messing with these guys."
The early going has been a major improvement from what the Rams did a season ago, where the service line was a hindrance as much as a positive. In some matches, they ended up having to pull back a bit.
Thursday, the Rams just kept pushing.
"It's so much better, as you could tell from tonight," said CSU setter Katie Oleksak, who dished out 32 assists. "It just really makes a difference, not only making your serves in, but making hard-driven serves in, because that really throws their offense off. Especially against a team like CU, which has such a fast offense."
Paring strong serving with excellent serve receive makes for, well, a sweep.
Both aspects allowed everything to click for the hosts. They hit well, paced by Breana Runnels and her 14 kills, the first half of which came of a mere eight swings. Pin partner Jessica Jackson finished with nine, and middles Kirstie Hillyer and Paulina Hougaard-Jensen combined for 12.
Friday night will be the tricky part of a back-to-back, home-and-home set with the newly minted Golden Spike trophy on the line. Colorado has seen what Colorado State has to offer, and adjustments will be made on both side, with each team possessing less than 24 hours to figure it out.
Somehow, the Rams have to find a way to keep the same mojo when the crowd will no longer be on their side and facing a team looking at falling out of the national rankings. Maybe to be replaced by a team receiving votes (CSU sat just one spot out of the poll).
"I think we need to stay consistent in that," Hudson said. "We need to do a better job of not letting our focus slip. If we play like that, I think we can beat everybody."
THE SWEEP…
- Was the sixth of the season and fifth consecutive
- Was the first against Colorado since 2010
- Snapped a three-match skid in the series
- Was the second sweep against a ranked opponent of the season
MATCH NOTES
- The Rams are now 24-14 overall and 16-5 in Moby Arena against the Buffs
- Breana Runnels led the Rams with 14 kills while hitting a blistering .520
- Jessica Jackson followed with nine kills and hit .438
- Katie Oleksak dished out 32 assists, grabbed seven digs and three blocks
- Olivia Nicholson led the back row with 11 digs and put up a pair of blocks
- Paulina Hougaard-Jensen was tough to hit through, recording a team-high four blocks
- Brooke Hudson dropped in three aces
#PointRams
Team Stats
CU
CSU
Kills
20
40
Errors
21
11
Attempts
85
85
Hitting %
-.012
.341
Points
26.0
51.0
Assists
19
38
Aces
2
4
Blocks
4.0
7.0
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
14
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Kills
9
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
7
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
5
Aces
0
Blocks
4
Players Mentioned
MB
/ VolleyballMB
/ Volleyball
DS/L
/ VolleyballOH
/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
S
/ VolleyballOH
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