As green and gold balloons and green confetti rained over the court in Moby Arena, it could only mean one thing: Colorado State volleyball had done it again. 

With a win against Utah State (19-25, 25-17, 25-14, 25-21), CSU has declared itself the sole champion of the Mountain West. This marks the 23rd championship title for CSU, and for coach Emily Kohan, this is her first championship as head coach. 

The game against USU Saturday was not only the final game before CSU travels to Las Vegas for the Mountain West Tournament, but Senior Night as well: recognizing players Emery Herman, Naeemah Weathers, Kennedy Stanford, Kate Yoshimoto and Karina Leber. 

“It’s emotional for (the seniors) — it’s emotional for me,” Kohan said. “My children don’t know life without them. When we go home that is all my kids talk about, and they are like children to me too. I’ve loved them for a long time, and I’m really proud of the women they’ve become; the players they’ve become; the champions they’ve become, and hopefully the best is still coming.”

The first four attacks of the game on the Rams’ side were all kills made by seniors, owning the game as theirs. Weathers came to represent the graduating class well, as she was the one who scored the first two kills of the game for CSU.

But the seniors were not the only ones who ruled the court. Malaya Jones scored the most kills of the game with 21. Second place for the Rams was Weathers at 10, who hit a .714 and was the only hitter for CSU with at least one kill to have zero attacking errors. 

“(Herman and I) are fifth year seniors so we’ve been at this for a while,” Weathers said. “To be able to conclude our career with a standalone champs win is something that we’re super proud to be able to do.” 

Although the Rams won in four, it was not all easy. In the first set, USU was attacking harder and more accurately. It was making less errors and overall performing better.

Thanks to Yoshimoto serving four times in a row, the Rams were able to delay their loss. But the attempt to comeback started too late, and CSU lost the first set. 

At the start of the second set, Kohan helped coach the Rams and turn on the well-oiled machine. The rest was history, USU never stood a chance past that point. 

“(USU was) playing for a share of the championship,” Kohan said. “But to have maturity and have the composure — especially after set one — to regroup ourselves and come out and be aggressive and punch back, I think showed how motivated they were to get it done.”

Despite CSU serving the ball out a few times, whenever Herman– who totaled five aces– Yoshimoto, Maria Brun or Jordyn Tynsky stepped back to the line, USU knew trouble was headed their way. The players tallied 12 of the Rams’ 14 service aces throughout the game.

CSU fans who attended should feel lucky to have witnessed what was probably the greatest playing game of the season. 

“There’s a rivalry aspect for us,” Herman said. “And last year Utah State, we lost at home too. So I think just finishing out the season on senior night with everything that we’ve worked for and how the season has gone, we knew we wanted to come in and just win. And so we were just trying to stay confident and get after it.” 

Herman not only led the game in assists, having 41, but was a joust queen. She continuously stuffed the ball back onto USU’s side, similar to wall that was Jones and Leber. 

Throughout the fourth set was when fans were really able to see Jones and Leber tag team blocks, making it nearly impossible for USU’s offense to get it past the net. CSU blocked an 11.5 while USU only blocked a five. 

“We went through the season and we won a lot of games, and each game that we lost, we learned a lesson from — we got better for it,” Herman said. “I think overall, the season has been great, and to be able to do it with those friends, that’s been super special.” 

Throughout the fourth set, USU realized it did not want to lose, at least, not without putting up a fight first. It scrambled to catch up to the Rams, even challenging a clean ace from Yoshimoto when it was out of timeouts. 

But a fire was lit on the court, and that fire was none other than CSU. There was motivation for the Rams to rewrite their wrongs from the previous season, barely losing the MW championship to Fresno State, but to assert their dominance and to give their seniors the night they deserved. 

“I just stopped crying, and the tears were both happy tears and sad tears,” Weathers said. “I’ve spent the last five years here in this community, in Fort Collins, so to be able to wrap it up like here and be standalone champs, I’m really excited.”

Although this was the last home game of the season, the Rams will debut in Vegas Nov. 29 as they fight to win the Mountain West Tournament. 

Vegas will be the last time this roster plays together and before the five seniors depart CSU volleyball forever. 

“(The seniors) have grown a ton in so many ways, not only as volleyball players — all of them have grown as volleyball players — but our motto in this program is ‘building champions to win championships,’” Kohan said. “And they are champions in forever what they’re going to do in life. But this championship, hopefully, is something that they can also remember as one of their their favorite last memories of Moby.” 

Reach Sophie Webb at sports@collegian.com or on Twitter @sophgwebb.