The Colorado State University Rams volleyball team took a trip to Waco, Texas, to compete in the Baylor Invitational. The Rams played three matches over the span of two days and finished overall 2-1 to close out the road trip.

First on the docket was a game against the No. 15 ranked Baylor University Bears Sept. 8. The Rams ended up losing the game in a 3-0 sweep; however, they put up quite the fight. Halfway through the first set against the Bears, it seemed like it was the Rams’ set to lose, as they sat with a comfortable 11-6 lead against the nationally ranked foes. The Bears were able to get on track with a pair of 3-2 runs to eventually tie it up at 17. The Rams couldn’t keep up afterward and lost the set 25-22. 

The second set was won by the Bears much more comfortably with a score of 25-19. Then, the crowd of over 700 people was treated to extra points in the third set. Neither team seemed to budge until the score broke the barrier into the 30s. Baylor won the final set with a score of 30-28 to take the match in a hard-fought 3-0 sweep. Senior outside hitter Annie Sullivan was the only player in the match to eclipse double-digit kills, with 10 on the day.

Next up on the Rams’ schedule was a doubleheader the next day against the University of Evansville Purple Aces and the Arizona State University Sun Devils. 

Against Evansville, the Rams found no struggle as they did against Baylor. The Rams won handily by way of a 3-0 sweep: 25-15, 25-21 and 25-13. Sullivan shone again in this game, leading all Rams in kills with eight. Later on in the day, the Rams played the most entertaining game of their road trip in a five-set thriller against the Sun Devils. The Rams went down two sets to none by scores of 25-15 and 26-24, but they would not be denied their second victory of the day.

Led by junior middle blocker Karina Leber, who led all players in kills with 22, the Rams fought back in set three and won 25-22. This was as close as it would get for the remainder of the match, as CSU closed out the reverse sweep by scores of 25-17 and 15-9 in the final two sets.

The Rams’ next game will be back at Moby Arena Sept. 15 against the University of Colorado, Boulder.

Reach Braidon Nourse at sports@collegian.com or on Twitter @BraidonNourse.