Rams Beat Central Arkansas in Fourth Five-Set Match This Week

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CONWAY, Ark. – The Colorado State volleyball team finished its final game of week two of the 2023 campaign after all four matches this week went to five sets. The Rams defeated the Sugar Bears of Central Arkansas 3-2 Sunday afternoon.

Playing in their third game day in a row and fourth game day of the week, all on the road, the Rams were welcomed into a small but mighty atmosphere in Conway, Arkansas where Colorado State dropped the first set 25-20, fatigue playing an obvious factor.

Similar to the previous three matches for Colorado State, the Rams were able to bounce back in the second set to tie the match at one all fighting back the fatigue and letting the adrenaline take over. Despite going to five sets each game this week, Colorado State never fell behind 2-0 to start the match, fighting back with their opponents punch for punch to stay in each and every game.

The Rams won the second set 25-19.

Central Arkansas came back to win the third set 25-17 before Colorado State again answered back with a 25-19 fourth-set win.

To the fifth set for the fourth time in one week, the Rams went. Switching up the lineup in the fourth set, Head Coach Emily Kohan entered senior Alyssa Groves into the game on the right side of the court. Looking to add a more aggressive block against the Sugar Bears' outside hitters, that's exactly what Groves did in the fifth recording two huge blocks to help the Rams pull momentum on their side.

Trading points back and forth, Central Arkansas took a one-point advantage, 9-8, off an Annie Sullivan hitting error. Sullivan and the entire Rams bench were calling for a touch on the attack that sailed out of bounds and listening to her team, Kohan challenged the play sending the decision to video review. Whether the conclusive evidence was there or not, the Rams lost the point, but it was probably one of the best things Kohan could have done to get her team fired up. The Rams wanted that point back in the race to 15.

Sullivan, a player who wears her emotions on her sleeve during the match, was adamantly calling for the next set to come her way so she could give her team back the advantage and earn back the kill for Colorado State. The next play was an Emery Herman to Annie Sullivan kill. Advantage Rams.

From there, the Rams finished the match on a 4-0 run, ending on an electric solo block from senior and captain outside hitter Kennedy Stanford, winning set five 15-11 and securing their third victory of the season.

Sullivan finished the match with a team-high 18 kills while Stanford followed close behind with 12. Middle blocker Karina Leber also totaled 11 kills to put three Rams in double-digits. Herman led the Rams in both assists and digs with 41 and 15 respectively.

Kohan commended the Rams for the way they finished a long week on the road and says they are looking forward to getting back into Moby Arena next weekend for the Ram Volleyball Classic.

"I think you always play better in your home court and find comfort in the crowd we know and the altitude," Kohan said. "We do have three really tough teams coming up again so it's not like the competition gets any easier, but I'm sure the girls are ready to have Moby's crowd behind them again to help gain some more momentum and get us some extra points."

The Ram Volleyball Classic will feature No. 15 Baylor, Bowling Green and Pacific with the Rams taking on Bowling Green first Thursday at 7 p.m. in Moby Arena.

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