Offesnsive surge powers Buffs past Seahawks
There’s no place like home for the CU volleyball team.
On Friday night, the Buffs won their first game of the season on the first day of the Colorado Invitational in Boulder. CU edged-out the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in three games.
Junior Kelsey Loop, who finished the night with nine kills for the Buffs, said after the game that it felt great to get the first win in Boulder, having all the fans around supporting the team. CU is now 1-2 on the season.
CU also got a big monkey off its back in addition to the first win.
In both of CU’s first two losses this season, the Buffs won the first two games in each match. But after starting out strong in each match, the team lost the next three games in both matches to lose 3-2.
The Buffs won easily in the first two games against UNC-Wilmington, 30-17 and 30-18. CU was able to close out the match in game three 30-12, unlike the first two matches of the season.
For Head Coach Pi’i Aiu, watching the team give a great effort in a win was better than not repeating the same mistakes the team had made in its first two matches.
“It feels good to just get the W, more than anything else,” Aiu said. “That’s the first, I think, complete game we’ve played where the effort and the play has been consistent through all three games.”
Aiu also said that he told the team at the intermission to not look back and to focus and maintain a high energy level.
Sophomore Mallori Gibson said after the game that the team worked on its urgency and executing through the end of the game in practice this week. Loop also said that the team’s effort in practice this week was the reason for the win Friday.
“Honestly, I think it started in practice,” Loop said. “We really picked it up this week in practice and really just focused on getting after every ball and not let anything drop. So, I think picking up our practices just transferred over to this match tonight.”
CU dominated the match offensively. Gibson spiked 16 kills, which was the same number of kills UNC-Wilmington had as a team. Junior Alex Buth finished with 13 kills.
Junior Callie Webster had a great night also, tallying 10 digs, which was the most in the match.
CU will continue its play in the Colorado Invitational at the Coors Events Center on Saturday. The team will face Central Florida.
Contact Staff Writer Kyle McDaniel at kyle.mcdaniel@thecampuspress.com.
