A loss is never a good way to start conference season.
Colorado State volleyball struggled to keep the momentum in its game against Wyoming Thursday, marking the first game of the conference season as a 3-2 loss (20-25, 21-25, 25-18, 25-19, 13-15).
The Rams saw sparks from multiple of their players, whether it was a strong block from Kekua Richards or a kill from Eve Wilson, but as soon as the Cowgirls got the point back, the crowd went wild.
Unfortunately, it was too much for CSU to handle, but there were more factors that went into the loss than just lack of connection on the court.
Incredibly slow start
Coming off a high against Colorado, the Rams seemed like a brand new team. There was chemistry and coordination on the court which showed in the 3-0 sweep. And although CSU didn’t really show, it was affected by the Buff’s fanbase, UW had a more passionate audience from the get-go.
This then lack of energy for CSU came with many errors.
More than half of hitting errors came in the first two sets along with three-of-five service errors. With the level the Rams were playing, it was hard to imagine that the match would go to five sets, but finally CSU had enough and got its mojo back in the third.
Although the Rams won the next two sets, that’s not a stunt that any coach wants to see for those rivalry matches or conference-opener matches.
Solid offense
Although the night was filled with a lot of mishaps and regrets, the offense put on quite a show. Five players for the Rams hit double digits in kills and displayed skill at the net.
Setter Erin Debiec is very talented, despite this being his first year of real playing time. Without her, this strong offense wouldn’t be possible, and she also broke her season record of assists during this game. It was previously 48, but against the Cowgirls racked up 59, proving herself vital for CSU’s success.
Especially when the Rams hit their stride in the fourth quarter, the offensive unit was hitting a 44%.
There were dips, but the offensive core came out strong and will definitely be the biggest threat when CSU and UW face off later again in the conference season.
Lack of momentum
No matter what CSU dished out for hits, it was a constant struggle to maintain that energy and momentum when UW just came back louder and harder. Prior to the game against the Rams, the Cowgirls were 4-7 and weren’t doing anything incredibly different than other teams they’ve faced in the past.
In fact, earlier in the season, UW was swept by CU — a team the Rams recently beat twice in back-to-back games for the Golden Spike trophy, yet the Cowgirls gave CSU a run for its money.
It was evident not only in the players’ faces that hope was lost in the beginning sets, but with the quality of playing that was produced. And despite UW having a smaller gym than Moby Arena, it was filled, making it that much harder for the Rams to celebrate.
Outside hitters shine
Out of those five hitters who got double-digit kills, two consistently shine every game: Maria Brun and Halle Jameson.
They are the two who see the most court time — besides Debiec — and for good reason as they produce great digs, straight serves and several kills. Jameson even hit double digits in digs too, recording 14 along with 16 kills.
Brun was the only returning starter for the team and the only freshman starter in the 2024 season, so there was no doubt she was going to be a leader for the team. But after a very consistent nonconference season, Jameson has named herself a starter as only a first-year.
Room for improvement for defense in back row
Besides the game against CU, the back row hasn’t been producing anything special. Granted, there are spurts in the game of incredible hustle. Whether it’s Brun chasing into the stands or Sydney Black jumping over chairs to pass a ball, but as a whole, there’s lots of room to grow.
Recently, the Rams have done a good job of adjusting to the offense at hand, especially after getting destroyed by Notre Dame’s tipping game.
Yet it just isn’t at the quality of what CSU used to produce in terms of defense.
The Rams turn around and face Nevada in two days for redemption, in which they can either rise to the challenge and show that championship-level quality, or crumble under the pressure. But since it’s a home game, it should be a good opportunity for CSU to clean up its act.
Reach Sophie Webb at sports@collegian.com or on social media @sophgwebb.
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