LARAMIE, Wyo. (Oct. 2, 2023) – The Wyoming Cowgirl volleyball team closes its four-match homestand this week at the UniWyo Sports Complex. The Cowgirls host Colorado State Tuesday and San Jose State, Thursday. Both matches are set for 6:30 p.m., starts.
UW (11-4, 0-4 MW) lost its two Mountain West-home openers last week. The Cowgirls lost in five sets to UNLV and four against San Diego State. Tuesday's match with Border Rival CSU will be a "Gold Rush" as fans are encouraged to wear gold. Free Gold Rush t-shirts will be given away while supplies last. Tuesday's contest is also a part of the Mountain West's "Tuesday Night Block Party".
Kasia Partyka continues to lead the Mountain West and ranks highly nationally in assists per set with 10.75. That mark ranks 14th in the country. Tierney Barlow ranks in the top-10 in the league in multiple statistical categories. Barlow's .375 hitting percentage ranks second in the league while her 4.08 points per set are sixth and her 1.17 blocks per are fourth-best. Barlow ranks 10th in kills per set averaging 3.03 per while teammate, Rylee Schulz is sixth averaging 3.27 kills a set.
As a team, the Cowgirls lead the league in assists (12.64) and kills (13.42) per set. Wyoming's .256 team hitting percentage is third in the conference while its 2.47 blocks per ranks fourth in the MW. In league action, that block number has jumped to 2.72 a set.
Colorado State is 2-2 in league play entering the week, with both of its conference wins coming at home. The Rams are 2-4 on the road in 2023. CSU has played seven Power 5 conference opponents this season. The Rams are led by Malaya Jones, who was named the league's Offensive Player of the Week Monday. Jones is averaging 3.24 kills per set and is hitting .306 on the season. Naeemah Weathers is hitting a league-leading .426 on the year and leads the Rams with 56 total blocks. Setter Emery Herman is averaging 9.45 assists per set while libero Kate Yoshimoto is averaging a team-high 3.42 digs a set. CSU is led by first-year head coach, Emily Kohan, who was a longtime assistant with the Rams.
San Jose State is also 2-2 to open MW play and is 2-4 on the road, overall in 2023. The Spartans are led by first-year head coach Todd Kress, who has been a longtime head coach at other schools. Four Spartans have at least 123 kills this season and are led by Blaire Fleming's 189 (3.86 per set). SJSU has primarily used two setters in 2023. Brooke Slusser leads the way with 435 assists while Teya Nguyen has 230. The Spartans have the reigning Defensive and Freshman Players of the Week. Alessia Buffagni was named the DPOTW and is averaging 3.95 digs per set. Nayeli Ti'a was the FOTW. Ti'a is second on the team with 167 kills and is third with 31 total blocks.
-WYO-
