Rivalry Week for The Golden Spike

FORT COLLINS, Colo. – After a clean home weekend in Moby Arena, Colorado State will finish its non-conference slate with a home-and-home series with in-state rival Colorado. The Rams will look to defend The Golden Spike trophy taking it in its inaugural year back in 2019.

The two matches will be the final non-conference matches for both squads as they begin conference play next week. The first match will start on Thursday night in Boulder at 7 p.m., before playing in Moby Arena on Saturday with a 1 p.m., first serve. The first match at Colorado will be on the Pac-12 Networks, while the Rams' home match will be on the MW Network.

The Golden Spike
When Colorado State and Colorado's volleyball teams meet twice to close out this week, they'll be playing for more than just bragging rights for just the second time. They'll also be playing for a traveling trophy, The Golden Spike the sport's counterpart to football's Centennial Cup. Colorado State coach Tom Hilbert is all for an addition to bring attention to the matches.

"What it also does is show respect for the rivalry, and both schools identify that as an important match," Hilbert said. "It's good for volleyball in the state of Colorado. CU invented the trophy, and I think they want bragging rights, but I think it's good."

The trophy is a train spike – donated by the Comanche Crossing Museum – painted gold, set on a standing plaque with both school's logos represented. With the squads playing home-and-home sets the next two seasons, the winner of the second match will be able to display it for the next year. The idea was inspired by the final railroad spike from the Comanche Crossing in Strasburg where the site of the Kansas Pacific Railroad laid its final tracks to form the first continuous chain of rails from the Atlantic to Pacific Coast more than 150 years ago.

The idea was hatched in Boulder, and when CU head coach Jesse Mahoney (a former Hilbert assistant at CSU) approached his former boss with the concept, Hilbert originally thought Mahoney was joking. He knows he wouldn't have come up with the notion, and he's positive Mahoney didn't either. Hilbert had one design suggestion – that it represent the history of the series – but the Rams' 23-14 all-time advantage, at the time, was nixed for display. Instead, the trophy will note it was established in 2019.

Mountain West Weekly Awards
After a solid defensive performance, which helped the Colorado State volleyball team post a perfect 3-0 mark in last weekend's home tournament, senior libero Alexa Roumeliotis is tabbed the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Week. The award is the fourth of her career and the first of the season for the Rams.

Roumeliotis was the cornerstone for the Colorado State defense, totaling a team-high 58 digs over the three matches, for a 4.83 average. She started the week with 12 digs in a sweep against SIUE, before racking up a weekend-high 29 digs against Oregon State. The libero finished the weekend with her seventh consecutive double-figure dig match, recording 17 in a win against UAB.

In the service game, she was targeted 49 times and recorded just two errors for a .959 reception mark. She also served the most for the Rams with 54 serves, adding six aces.

Roumeliotis leads the Rams with a 4.74 average for the season, which is also No. 3 in the Mountain West and 64th in the country. Her 142 total digs are also No. 2 in the conference and 78th in the nation.

Series History
» Colorado State leads the series 25-14 overall, including 16-5 in Moby Arena and 9-9 in Boulder.
» The Rams are also 2-0 in The Golden Spike series – debuting in 2019.
» These will be the third- and four-consecutive matches were the Rams are facing a ranked Buffs team.
» CSU is 8-6 when Colorado is ranked, including winning the last two in 2019 when the Buffs were No. 19.
» Colorado State also holds a 14-5 record against CU under Hilbert, including an 11-1 mark in Moby Arena.

Coaches
» Tom Hilbert: 25th year at Colorado State (603--145): 33rd year overall (777-217)
» Prior to coming to Colorado State, Hilbert was the head coach at Idaho from 1989-96 and accumulated a 174-72 record, which remains the best winning percentage by a coach in Idaho history. While in Moscow, he helped the Vandals win the regular season or tournament every year from 1992-95.
» Jesse Mahoney: 6th year at Colorado (85-70); 10th year overall (172-111)
» Prior to head coaching, Mahoney was an assist coach at Colorado State from 2005-11, including four as the associate head coach. In his time at CSU under head coach Tom Hilbert, the Rams participated in seven-consecutive NCAA Tournaments and won five Mountain West titles. CSU compiled a 162-51 record during his time on staff.

Rams at a Glance
» Colorado State will look to continue its winning streak, finishing its non-conference schedule with a pair of matches against rival Colorado this week.
» The Rams posted a perfect 3-0 mark in its home tournament last weekend, picking up wins against SIUE, Oregon State and UAB.
» CSU played its third five-set match of the season, again coming down to the final two points against Oregon State.
» Senior libero Alexa Roumeliotis earned Mountain West Defensive Player of the Week honors after last week's performance.
» In the Rams seven matches played this season, 12 sets have been decided by two points – with six falling in favor of CSU.

Scouting Colorado
» Colorado will enter the week with a perfect 7-0 mark after picking up three victories at its the home tournament last weekend.
» The 7-0 mark is the most wins to start the season for the Buffs, bettering the records set in 2017 and 2008.
» The Buffs grabbed wins against Texas Tech, San Jose State and Northern Colorado.
» CU entered the AVCA Poll this week at No. 25 after receiving votes the week prior.
» Brynna DeLuzio earned Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week after posting 50 digs (4.56) last weekend.
» Colorado went undefeated for the third time at the Pac-12/Big Ten Challenge after recording wins against Illinois and Iowa.

Rams Against the 'Power 5'
» CSU boasts an all-time record of 235-159-1 (.591) against current schools in "Power 5" conferences, including Hilbert holding a 125-76 (.818) mark while at Colorado State.
» The Rams have faced four schools from P5 conferences so far this season, posting a 2-2 record.
» Colorado State defeated NC State and Oregon State, but dropped matches to Northwestern and North Carolina earlier this season.

Rankings
» Colorado State holds a 47-50 record against ranked teams at home, including a 37-35 mark under Hilbert.
» CSU is also 19-79 all-time on the road versus ranked teams and 7-18 under Hilbert.
» This will be the 15th and 16th time the Rams have faced a ranked Buffs team, holding an 8-6 record.

UP NEXT
» After finishing its non-conference schedule, the Rams will look their Mountain West Conference slate, featuring 18 league matches, including nine events in Moby Arena.
» Colorado State will begin hosting Boise State and Utah State for a Thursday, Saturday matches.

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