Tight match gives reeling Buffs confidence, team leaders want team to “start over” for season’s second half
The Buffaloes set a team record with 26 total team blocks, but the Iowa State Cyclones were able to hold on and send the Buffs to their 10th straight loss, bringing their record to 5-13 on the season and 0-10 in the Big 12 Conference.
The loss was another close one for the Buffs, with both teams trading off games until the fifth, which was decided by only two points. The game scores were 24-30, 30-24, 25-30, 30-19, and 15-13.
Following the loss, head coach Pi’i Aiu said the he believes his team has made some improvements but that they have a long way to go.
“I just think we’re making the same mistakes over and over,” Aiu said. “We’ve got to play a little bit better when the game is on the line.”
Lauren Schaefer recorded her first career double-double with 13 kills and 11 block assists.
“I just tried to do my job,” Schaefer said. “I’m just so sick of losing. I tried to put everything out there and just play volleyball.”
Alex Buth, who led the team with 15 kills, said she pulled the team together after the match and told everyone that the first half of the season was over and that the team was going to start the second half of the season with a clean slate.
“We’re not going to think about our record, it’s 0-0,” Buth said. “Even though we’ve had losses we’re still going into the match against Baylor with momentum knowing that we had them and I know they’re going to be kind of scared of us. We just have to take advantage of that, start over, and have a great second half.”
Contact Campus Press Staff Writer Brad Cochi at Brad.Cochi@thecampuspress.com
