CSU-UW: Box Score | Season Stats
LARAMIE, Wyo. (Oct. 25, 2016) -- The University of Wyoming Cowgirl volleyball team began its
four-match home stand with a 3-1 (27-25, 27-25, 16-25, 25-18) victory over Colorado
State on Tuesday night before 997 fans in the UniWyo Sports Complex. Wyoming
took care of business for its first win over CSU since Nov. 13, 1997.
UW (14-9, 7-3 MW) held the league-leading Rams to a .178
hitting percentage on Tuesday night. Before the match, CSU had a MW-best .297
hitting percentage. It was the second loss for Colorado State in its last three
matches, as it fell at San Jose State last Thursday. Before the loss to SJSU, the
Rams had won 31 consecutive MW matches.
"We have to give this team a lot of credit for really executing
down the stretch," UW head coach Chad Callihan said. "I thought in warmups we were pretty sharp and
crisp. Our defense has been really good all throughout this conference season
and tonight it was tremendous. Offensively, as well this group went out there
and made those plays, they made it happen tonight. We understand what comes
with these rivalry games, so we wanted to go out there to grind and compete."
Senior Laura Beach had 13 kills with a .320 hitting
percentage, in addition to a match-high eight blocks against Colorado State. Sophomore
Emily Lewis added 12 kills, as senior Kayla Slofkiss recorded nine with seven
digs and four blocks. Freshman Tara Traphagan posted a career-high eight kills
for UW and hit .462 during the match.
Sophomore Reed Copeland brought home six kills and five
total blocks for Wyoming. Senior Courtney Chacon recorded 41 assists for the
Brown and Gold. It was her fourth match of the season with at least 40 assists. She also had
six digs and four total blocks while freshman Madi Fields had 13 digs for UW
against the Rams.
In the opening set, CSU called its first timeout as the
Cowgirls jumped out to a 6-2 lead. Copeland led the way early on with two kills
in the first six points. A 10-6 run then gave Wyoming a 16-8 advantage. After
CSU's second timeout, the Rams earned three consecutive to cut UW's lead to
five, 16-11. The Cowgirls called a timeout with a lead of 18-15. A block from
Copeland made the score, 20-17, before Colorado State inched its way back to
tie the score at 21. A service error from CSU and two blocks from the Cowgirls
gave UW its first set point. After going back and forth, the Cowgirls eventually
took the set, 27-25. Four kills from Lewis and Beach led the way, while Chacon
registered 12 assists.
Wyoming once again jumped out with a solid lead early in the
second set, 5-3. A blocking error from CSU made it, 6-4, before the two teams
traded points until the Rams managed to tie the score at eight. CSU earned its first lead in the second set
when it gained the advantage, 9-8. Traphagan gave UW the lead back with a kill
to bring the score to 13-12. A timeout was called by Wyoming with CSU leading,
19-17. Colorado State then called a timeout immediately after Wyoming claimed
two straight to move it to a tie at 19. Behind 16 tied scores and nine lead
changes, UW took a 2-0 set lead by claiming the second set, 27-25.
Colorado State got the best of Wyoming after intermission.
The Rams jumped ahead early and held the lead throughout the set. The Cowgirls
battled but played behind the entire frame. Wyoming called its first timeout in
the third as CSU held an 18-13 lead. A 7-3 run to close out the third frame
gave CSU the set, 25-16. Eight different Cowgirls recorded one kill during the
third.
In the thriller of the fourth and final set, Wyoming claimed
the first point only to see CSU take the next three behind two blocks. Two kills
from Beach tied it at three. Colorado State called its first timeout after a
kill from Copeland that gave UW a four-point advantage, 8-4. Three-straight
kills from Slofkiss pushed Wyoming's lead four, 13-9. Two attacking errors from
CSU initiated a timeout from the Rams. Another
vital block from Copeland made CSU call a timeout. The Cowgirls sealed the
victory by going on a 10-6 run and took the set, 25-18.
Slofkiss is now 33 kills from becoming the 11th Cowgirl to
record 1,000 during her career. With her eight total blocks tonight, Beach is
two away from a share of sixth place all-time. She currently has 405 blocks,
while Chacon has 3,054 career assists while wearing the Brown and Gold. Callihan
claimed his first win over Colorado State on Thursday night. It was also his 43rd
conference win, which is second in Wyoming coaching history. Hall of Fame coach
Mike English had 46 wins during his tenure at Wyoming.
The Cowgirls will be back in action on Thursday night
against Utah State. First serve is set for 6:30 p.m. MT in the UniWyo Sports
Complex.
