AMES, Iowa (Sept. 14, 2018) – The Wyoming volleyball team's comeback bid came up just short in its second match of the weekend at the Cyclone Classic to Syracuse on Friday afternoon at Hilton Coliseum, falling in five sets to the Orange.
After dropping the first two sets in the match, the Cowgirls (8-3) were able to take the third and fourth to force a fifth; however, Syracuse edged the Pokes in the final frame to take the match.
Wyoming's offense was led by senior
Emily Lewis, who scored a career high-tying 21 kills on a .347 hitting percentage, along with seven digs and four blocks. Setter
Cori Aafedt tallied her third career double-double and first since 2015 with a career best 33 assists and season high 15 digs.
The Cowgirls combined for 16 blocks as a team, the most by the squad in a five-set match this season, led by senior
Reed Copeland with nine. Junior libero
Madi Fields recorded 20 digs in the match to lead all players.
Unable to find a steady offense, Wyoming dropped the first set, 25-18, to the Orange. The Cowgirls opened with a 2-1 lead, but Syracuse took control with an 8-1 run in response and never looked back, finishing off the frame to take the upper hand early.
In the second, the Pokes battled but came up just short again, 25-22. The two teams went back and forth in the frame, which featured 12 ties and seven lead changes, as Wyoming took a 22-20 lead late. The Orange would respond, however, going on a 5-0 run to finish off the period.
The Cowgirls were able to get on the board in the third, outlasting Syracuse in extra points for the 31-29 win to force a fourth set and keep the match alive. Wyoming and Syracuse traded points again in the third, combining for 14 ties and six lead changes. The Pokes were able to jump up, 22-18, late but another push from the Orange forced a tie at 25. A couple of ties later—and after the Cowgirls fought off four match points—the teams found themselves knotted at 29-all; with the match on the line, the Pokes got huge kills from Traphagan and Lewis to clinch the set.
The Cowgirls led the entirety of the fourth set, coming out with a 25-18 win to send the match to a decisive fifth set. The Pokes turned in a .243 hitting percentage with six blocks in the frame to overwhelm the Orange and extend the match.
The fifth set was another back-and-forth frame, as the teams switched leads five times; however, it was Syracuse that was able to run off a couple-straight points at the end of the period to win, 15-13.
Wyoming will be back in action Saturday morning at 11 a.m. MT to wrap up play at the Cyclone Classic against Iowa.
