Colorado State volleyball’s whiteout game is never an event to take lightly.
This year is no different. CSU will take on No. 17 Colorado in a home-and-home battle for the Golden Spike Sept. 17 and 18, with the final game of that two game series being the infamous whiteout game in Fort Collins.
“The whiteout is one of college volleyball’s best traditions in the whole country,” head coach Emily Kohan said. “People know around the country what the whiteout means, and so to do it on a CU rivalry (game) when we end in Fort Collins — it’s the last game of (nonconference play) — you couldn’t script it any better.”
Kohan’s team is coming off a victory in another rivalry game after sweeping Wyoming in Laramie on Sept. 12 and looks to keep the Golden Spike in town for the third consecutive season.
Players and coaches alike recognize how important this matchup is for the program’s momentum heading into conference play and preparation for the postseason. In spite of the daunting task that lays ahead of them, the Rams are confident they can take home a win against a ranked opponent in a critical matchup.
“It’ll just be a really fun, sweet victory,” middle blocker Eve Wilson said.
This isn’t the first time this season CSU has taken on a ranked opponent; they brought No. 5 Southern Methodist University and No. 25 North Carolina down to the wire but ultimately ended up falling in both games.
The experience gathered against a number of top teams in the nation gives the Rams an advantage heading into conference play and when thinking about the postseason.
“The UNC match on the road, I think, was really good for us to know that was not a fluke,” Kohan said. “We can play really good volleyball against top 20 teams, so here we are. We’re at the last two times to get a ranked win and be able to have some momentum going into the Pac-12 and for what our postseason goals are.”
Despite the fact the green and gold still lack a victory against a ranked opponent this season, the Rams enter the series with the confidence they can compete with anybody, no matter how high they’re ranked.
Kohan is no stranger to the harsh environment that comes with a fierce rivalry, such as the one the Rams have with CU. She has clocked a number of rivalries in her four years as head coach of the program and 11 years on CSU’s coaching staff.
”This is literally the 11th time … that I have played this roster out there,” Kohan said of CU. “We know the scouting report.”
Even though Kohan knows what to expect heading into the series, some of her players have less experience in this rivalry environment.
Wilson competed in her first season at CSU last year but still recognizes how much this matchup means to the program and fans alike.
“I remember this was my first Golden Spike last year,” Wilson said. “But I think once you’re in there in the moment and you realize how deep the history is between the teams, and then especially it being our whiteout, it’s going to be a really special week.”
The Rams look to topple a top-25 team to bolster their season resume, but this victory would mean more than others.
The Buffaloes enter the series seeking revenge with the sting from a discouraging loss last season still in the back of their minds, and the extra motivation of playing a longtime rival will bring a tough challenge as the Rams defend their trophy.
“The whole team just wants to beat them,” sophomore libero Karsyn Fetzer said. “It’s CU; they’re ranked, and we’re going to go beat them.”
Fetzer is settling into a new role as libero after spending most of her playing career as a hitter, and she’s finding her stride at a perfect time in CSU’s season.
Going into a crucial matchup, Fetzer credits her coaching staff with helping her get accustomed to her new role in time for, arguably the biggest game of the season.
“Emily’s taught me so much,” Fetzer said. “I’m finally being more confident with myself, and I think my teammates also helped me and pushed me to be the best in practice, too.”
Knocking off a ranked opponent has been at the top of the list for Kohan, and her team enters the week with a chance at just that.
“(CU) will show up and want some revenge from last year, and we want to try to keep that Golden Spike trophy,” Kohan said. “It’s always big with rivalry week, but in what our goals are for this team this year: It’s really big.”
Reach Jack Randels at sports@collegian.com or on social media @RMCollegian.
