Coming off a big win against No. 1 Washington, the Buffs stayed hot and defeated Washington State University 3-1 on Sunday afternoon, improving their record to 11-3 overall.
Nicole Edelman pumps up teammates in the Buffs win over Washington State Sunday Oct. 6, 2013. (Matt Sisneros/CU Independent)
The Buffs were lead by junior outside hitter Taylor Simpson and senior middle blocker Nikki Lindow. Simpson had 23 kills and 4 blocks, and it was her seventh double-double of the season. Lindow shared the load with 10 kills, giving her a percentage of over .500. The senior also recorded 5 blocks for the Buffs
“It was definitely a hard-fought match,” said Simpson. “They got their hands on any hit that I had but I was getting great sets, and we were doing really well passing-wise. I thought it was a good match.”
Lindow said that she and her setter, Edelman, have been connecting well, something that contributed to the overall success of the team.
The Buffs came out strong in the first set by snatching a 13-7 lead, causing the Cougars to take their first timeout of the game. Following the timeout, the Cougars gained momentum, forcing the Buffs to take a timeout of their own. But afterwards, CU came up with a few blocks and an ace to grab the first set.
The second set was more competitive, with the Buffs and Cougars battling four tie-breakers. In the end, it was the Buffs who took set two.
Washington, determined not to lose in three sets, gave the Buffs a run for their money. Freshman Kyra Hold racked up seven kills in the third game alone and was a huge factor in the Cougars’ third-set success. The two teams fought back and forth until the Cougars scored the set point on an impressive service ace.
Kerra Schroeder and Nikki Lindow block a spike against Washington State Sunday Oct. 6, 2013. (Matt Sisneros/CU Independent)
CU head coach Liz Kritza stressed how important it was that they didn’t lose this match, especially after the disappointing loss to Wyoming. Big kills from senior outside hitter Kerra Schroeder and sophomore outside hitter Alexis Austin helped finalize the victory for the Buffaloes.
“I am very proud,” Kritza said. “We talked in the locker room before the match about this being more important than the match that we played on Friday, because its the follow-up match. It’s the one that lets us show that we are not just the team that can pull the upset and then dip down. This is a part of establishing our identity in this league and across the country.”
The team plays Cal on Wednesday, Oct. 9.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Lizzi Vogel at elizabeth.vogel@colorado.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Jordyn Siemens at jordyn.siemens@colorado.edu.