Colorado State University Athletics
Colorado State
10-5,4-1Mountain West
Boise State
11-5,3-2Mountain West
Setting the Standard
10/9/2025 10:29:00 PM | Volleyball
The Rams sweep Broncos in fourth consecutive win
If once is a fluke, twice is a coincidence, and the third is a pattern – then the fourth becomes the standard.
On Thursday night inside Moby Arena, Colorado State volleyball proved that four is no accident. With a 3-0 sweep over Boise State (25-22, 25-19, 26-24), the Rams secured their fourth straight Mountain West victory.
This wasn't a single night of momentum or luck, nor a quirky back-to-back stretch. By the fourth, the wins begin to define a rhythm – a rhythm that coach Emily Kohan saw most clearly in the longest rallies of the night.
"I think we won all of the long rallies," Kohan said. "That's a big momentum shift. After 20 seconds of transitioning and huffing and puffing to come out on top. There's just a lot with that."
Those gritty rallies came to the forefront in the third set, when Boise finally threatened to flip the narrative. After trailing in the first two, the Broncos dug deeper, swung harder and refused to go quietly. For a moment, it looked like the fourth win might stall. But CSU settled in and refused the budge.
Freshman libero Karsyn Fetzer embodied that grit. She doubled her career high for digs by the second set with 12, and finished the match with 16 along with two assists.
"In those moments, I love it," Fetzer said. "I want to get those big digs. It's also knowing that the team is there for me even in moments where I shank it or get a good dig. They're always going to be pushing me to get there."
There were moments of doubt, and the weight of them showed on her face after a miscalculation or missed read. But she quickly moved on because she knew she wasn't alone.
Her roommate, outside hitter Halle Jameson, was just as much a cheerleader for her friend as she was a force on the court. Recording 10 kills and eight digs of her own. Together, the two are helping establish the youngest Rams as reliable contributors. Not just to stats, but team chemistry.
"All of the freshmen really have an amazing bond," Jameson said. "I mean, me and Karsyn, we're roommates so I'm just really happy for her. She was able to come out and show how talented she is and how happy she is doing it."
If the freshmen are the new heartbeat, then veterans like Kekua Richards and Eve Wilson provide the anchor. Richards finished with eight kills and three blocks, while Wilson added 11 kills to balance the attack.
And together, they are another roommate duo that opponents can't ignore.
"People follow (Kekua) around no matter if she's getting the ball or not," Kohan said. "I thought that did a great job of opening up things for Eve because those blockers were really focused on her. Erin would send the ball to Eve, and she would get one-on-ones."
That balance speaks to a team evolving. The chemistry that now defines the Rams doesn't just belong to the freshmen or the veterans but a bridge between them
A bridge slowly forming is between liberos Aine Doty and Fetzer. Doty is a graduate student and one of the older players on the roster, so for Fetzer, she's the calm in the storm.
"I feel really calm when I'm next to her," Fetzer said. "If we're crossing paths or something I know she's going to get the ball no matter what. It just lets me be myself and helps me play the best I can."
A connection you need in order to run the floor effectively.
Something, which was taken into the hands of Richards near the end.
"I was really proud of the floor leadership," Kohan said. "I didn't honestly, as the coach, have to say a whole lot. I was watching Kekua kind of command the huddle and say, 'Let's frickin' go.' My favorite teams are player-led. We're watching our team develop some of that great leadership."
So they've turned the fluke into a standard. But four wins aren't just about climbing the Mountain West standings; they're about building an identity that lasts. One which wins championships.
And with Fresno State looming next, the standard will be tested again.
But if the last four wins have shown anything, it's that this is no fluke, no coincidence and no passing pattern. This is Colorado State volleyball finding its standard.
