FORT COLLINS, Colo. (Oct. 29, 2019) – The Wyoming volleyball team's seven-match winning streak was snapped Tuesday night at the hands of 14th-ranked Colorado State on the road. The Cowgirls lost in four sets, 27-25, 23-25, 30-28 and 25-12.
The Cowgirls (14-8, 9-2 MW) got off to a hot start to the match, scoring the first seven points of the contest. However, an 8-1 run from the Rams (21-1, 11-0 MW) tied the first set at 8-8 and from there on, sets 1-3 were a battle. Set one featured 10 ties and three lead changes and included a pair of set points from the Cowgirls before CSU ended the set on a 3-0 run to take the first.
In set two, neither team led by more than a point until Wyoming took a 21-19 lead late in the set. CSU would tie the set at 22-22 and 23-23 before back-to-back kills by Emersen Cyza and Jackie McBride gave the Cowgirls the set and tied the match at 2-2.
UW led much of the way to begin the third set, building as large as a three-point lead on multiple occasions. The Rams eventually tied the set at 14-14 and led by as many as four, 20-16. The Cowgirls would have a rally of their own and tie the set at 20-20. CSU had set point at 24-22 before three straight from the Cowgirls put them in front 25-24. After it was tied up at 25-25, Wyoming staved off three set points before CSU was able to take the set with back-to-back points.
No. 14 CSU controlled the final set, only trailing at 3-1 before going on a 12-3 run to go up 13-6 and would eventually push its lead up to as many as 11 points before ending the match on a 4-0 run to seal the win.
KC McMahon led the Cowgirls with 16 kills in the loss while Cyza recorded a career-best 13 and hit a team-high .393. McBride and Tara Traphagan each pitched in with eight kills. As a team, Wyoming hit just .180 in the match while the Rams posted a hitting percentage of .241.
Both teams recorded eight blocks on the night with McBride leading the Cowgirls with four total. Faith Waitsman added three.
The big advantage on the night came at the service line as the Rams recorded 10 aces to Wyoming's three. The Cowgirls also committed nine serving errors while CSU had 10. Hailey Zuroske led UW with a pair of aces.
Mackenzie Coates had a solid night as she recorded her fourth double-double of the season. Coates led the way with 43 assists and posted a career-best 17 digs in the loss while Madi Fields registered a match-high 19 digs on the night.
The Cowgirls now look to rebound back home inside the friendly confines of the UniWyo Sports Complex as Air Force comes to town Saturday for a 1 p.m., contest. Wyoming defeated the Falcons earlier this season in five sets in Colorado Springs.
-WYO-
