Finding Nemo: Middle Blockers Help Rams Power Past DePaul

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FORT COLLINS – In its first road test, the Colorado State volleyball team beat the DePaul Blue Demons 3-1 thanks to heavy distribution through the middle of the court and big games from both Naeemah Weathers and Malaya Jones.

Attacking the middle of the court was on the scouting report for the Rams heading into their first road match of the season where the emphasis was all about staying in-system on offense and finding Nemo.

Naeemah Weathers, that is, who goes by the nickname Nemo around the team. The fifth-year senior had a season high 10 kills hitting at a team-high efficiency of .625. Adding four blocks to the mix as well, it was evident that Weathers was a large energy force for the Rams in their first match away from home in 2024.

"We wanted to run a specific type of play out of the middle in our scouting report through the match, and we just kept running it and running it until it was effective and then we were able to get a lot out of it and even when they started blocking it, that's when everyone else started to light up."

"It was a great night to have the whole team firing at full cylinders," Weathers said. "As a middle, the game depends on everyone else around you so much more, so it was really great to have the team rally around us and get us an opportunity to get kills out of the middle which is what we were trying to do tonight."

Fellow middle blocker Karina Leber also totaled nine kills on the night hitting at a .421 clip with six total blocks. One of the highest combined offensive games from Colorado State's middle blockers this season.

Colorado State opened up the match with a first set win, 25-16 thanks to kills from six different Rams. Fifth-year setter Emery Herman spoke to the benefit of having a mix of offensive weapons to distribute to and how her defense kept her in-system throughout the match..

"Huge kudos to the back row tonight. They we're doing a really good job passing and allowing me to set the middles from anywhere while the middles were also doing a really good job at getting open and then it was just all about having that good connection," Herman said.

Jones was another key target for Herman as DePaul began to adjust in the second set, claiming the frame 25-22 to tie the game at one set all.

As the top target for Colorado State by far this season, Jones took a lighter load in Thursday's win, while still leading the team in kills with 14. The redshirt-senior also added a service aces and 11 digs in the backrow for her second double-double of the season.

Jones added a spark and a mix in distribution in the third set for the Rams who won the advantage 25-23.

In the fourth set, it was a combination of service pressure, strong defense and efficiency from both middle blockers that sealed the win for Colorado State. The Rams totaled nine service aces to DePaul's one, two from both Kennedy Stanford and Maria Brun and once again it was Weathers in the middle that felt her presence known through both block touches on defense and hard-hit, quick kills off the set from Herman.

The Rams rolled through the Blue Demons in the fourth set, 25-15 to claim victory in enemy territory.

"I think you see adversity and you want your team to respond, and I think we got better in each set in a lot of things. We grew as a road team throughout that match," Kohan said.

"To get a first road win its huge. We've talked all last semester and this semester too about being a good road team so it was super huge to be able to get our first win on the road and have it been something where we could get the non-starters some time on the court too."

Despite the hostility on the road, Colorado State boasted a larger than most fan section with multiple Rams holding Midwest ties.

Colorado State will continue its road trip to South Bend, Ind. To face the Notre Dame Fighting Irish Friday night at Compton Ice Arena. First serve is set for 4 p.m. mountain time.

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