In its Pac-12 Conference opener, the University of Colorado Buffaloes volleyball team lost a close contest to the Utah Utes Wednesday night at Coors Events Center in Boulder. After going up two sets to one over Utah, the Buffs lost the final two sets, dropping to 8-3 on the season (0-1 in conference play). The Buffs lost in five sets, 25-18, 15-25, 21-25, 25-16 and 20-18.
Colorado fought valiantly, but the Utes — 10-2 on the season — outmatched them in nearly every major stat category. Utah had the upper hand in points, aces, blocks, assists and digs. However, Colorado equalized on blocks with 12.
In the first set, the Buffs ran into trouble early, falling behind 5-1 before calling a timeout. The Utes would take a 11-5 lead in the first set before Colorado made its first substitutions of the game.
The Buffs battled back to within five points of Utah, 23-18, but ultimately fell in the first set 25-18 on an attack error by junior setter Gabby Simpson.
In the second set, with the score at 5-all, the Buffs went on a roll. The team registered six unanswered points thanks to solid plays by Simpson and junior outside hitter Stephanie Shadley. Then 11-5, Colorado had quite the advantage. The Buffs stayed in control throughout the set and won 25-15, tying Utah 1-1.
Sophomore outside hitter Alexa Smith was electric for the Buffs, leading the squad with 18 kills. Simpson and redshirt junior middle blocker Joslyn Hayes were tied for second in the game with 11 kills apiece. Colorado just couldn’t find an answer for Utah’s Adora Anae, who registered an impressive 27 kills.
In the third set, the Buffs went up 3-0, the third point coming off a kill by sophomore middle blocker Naghede Abu. She finished the game with five kills and 8.5 points.
The Buffs added three more unanswered points to go up 14-6. Colorado repeated the trend again toward the end of the set, scoring another three unanswered to lead 23-16. This was courtesy of two errors by the Utes and a kill by Smith.
The Buffs’ luck ran out after the third set, though — Utah dominated the fourth, cruising to victory by a 25-16 margin.
With the score tied at two sets all, Utah and Colorado squared off in an intense final fifth set. The two teams exchanged point after point, the score staying close throughout. Utah went up 8-5 about midway through, but the Buffs fought back, scoring four unanswered to take a 9-8 lead thanks to three errors and one bad set by the Utes.
Utah scored four unanswered immediately after, taking the lead back. But the teeter-totter of unanswered points continued, as the Buffaloes scored three straight to even the score 12-12.
A kill by Hayes late in the game tied things up at 18-18, but the Buffs lost in heartbreaking fashion as the Utes scored the final two points, courtesy of solid kills by Eliza Katoa and Anae. The Utes won the set 20-18 and the game, 3-2.
The Buffs will attempt to win their first Pac-12 game this Sunday against the Arizona Wildcats in Boulder. Tipoff is at 1 p.m. MST.
Contact CU Independent Head Sports Editor Justin Guerriero at justin.guerriero@colorado.edu and follow him on Twitter @TheHungry_Hippo.
