Colorado State University Athletics
Colorado State
6-3,0-0Pac-12
Colorado
9-0,0-0Big 12
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado St. | 23 | 25 | 25 | 21 | 1 |
| Colorado | 25 | 27 | 22 | 25 | 3 |
Rams Fall to Colorado in Game One of Battle for Golden Spike
9/17/2026 11:36:00 PM | Volleyball
Game Two, White Out set for Friday
BOULDER, Colo. — The Colorado State volleyball team fell to Colorado 3-1 (23-25, 25-27, 25-22, 21-25) on Thursday night at CU Events Center. CSU recorded 17 blocks and six aces but was held to a .107 hitting percentage and 42 kills compared with Colorado's .144 and 56 kills.Â
The Rams opened with consecutive blocks from Sofia Zabjek, Kekua Richards and Ella Stowell, but Colorado answered to build an 8-3 lead. CSU cut the deficit to 8-6 behind blocks from Eve Wilson, Zabjek and Halle Jameson, then tied the set at 9-9 on a Jameson kill. Wilson added three kills through the middle of the set, and Hayden Grimes served an ace to tie it at 17-17. After Colorado went up 20-17, CSU tied it again at 20-20 and later took the lead on Wilson's ace and a Colorado attack error, but Colorado scored the final three points to close the set.Â
Looking to bounce back, CSU answered Colorado's early second set points with kills from Zabjek, Wilson, Maria Brun and Richards, while Brun and Richards combined on the opening block and Zabjek and Richards added another block to keep things close. The Rams moved in front late in the set after trailing 17-15, taking advantage of a Colorado attack error, a Jameson kill and back-to-back Debiec aces to take a 19-17 lead. The Rams pushed the margin to 23-20 on a Zabjek kill and a block by Debiec and Wilson, but Colorado responded to tie the set at 23-23. Brun gave CSU set-point chances with kills at 24-23 and 25-24, but Colorado won the final three points to take the set 27-25.Â
The Rams faced an 11-6 deficit starting out set three, but worked back behind a Brun kill, two Zabjek kills and a Brun-Richards block to get within 11-10. Trading blows with Colorado, CSU tied the set at 17-17, then answered again after Colorado moved ahead, with Jameson's kill and Debiec's service ace putting the Rams in front 19-18. CSU turned a 19-19 tie into a 24-19 lead, beginning their scoring run on a Colorado service error before Brun served four straight points, including a block by Richards and Jameson. Colorado scored three straight points after CSU reached set point, but Zabjek finished the 25-22 set win with a kill from Debiec.Â
With renewed determination going into the fourth set, the Rams turned a 7-6 deficit into a 10-7 lead behind a Brun kill, a Brun-Richards block, a Debiec ace and another Brun kill. Colorado answered with four straight points to move back in front 11-10, but CSU continued to recover with kills from Jameson, Wilson and Richards while Debiec and Richards added another block. The Rams worked back within 20-19 and later 21-20, but Colorado scored four of the final five points. Colorado took the fourth set 25-21.Â
CSU Top PerformersÂ
- Erin Debiec: 38 assists, season-high four service aces, four blocks, nine digsÂ
- Sofia Zabjek: Season-high 13 kills, career-high 15.5 points, five total blocks, .250 hitting percentageÂ
- Eve Wilson: Nine kills, .316 hitting percentage, seven total blocks, 13.5 pointsÂ
- Kekua Richards: Season-high eight blocks, also added five killsÂ
- Maria Brun: Surpassed 500 career kills (506), recording seven in the matchÂ
- As a team, the Rams achieved a season-high total of 17 blocks in the match.Â
Up Next: The Rams will host No. 17 Colorado Friday at Moby Arena for game two of The Battle for the Golden Spike and CSU's annual White Out match, with first serve set for 6 p.m.Â
