WACO, Texas – On Friday night, the Colorado Buffaloes (10-13, 3-8 Big 12) finished up their Texas Two-step with a loss against the No. 17 Baylor Bears (15-6, 7-3 Big 12).
After a rough season so far, the Buffs were looking to take any chance they could to get back within striking distance of the Big 12 leaders down the stretch. A game against No. 17 ranked-Baylor (fifth in the Big 12) was one that the Buffaloes couldn’t afford to lose if they wanted their Big 12 Tournament hopes to stay alive.
After dropping yet another in-conference game to TCU, the Buffs looked to finish their road trip to Texas strong.
The game started with the Bears claiming two quick points off a kill and a Colorado net violation. The Buffs quickly answered back with two of their own points off a Cayla Payne kill and another kill that Baylor couldn’t get back over the net. The two teams battled back and forth until the Bears took a three-point lead to make the score 8-5.
CU fought back, bringing the game within one point off a couple kills by Ana Burilovic and a BU service error. Colorado then claimed their first lead of the game at 11-10 after both teams contended around the net.
The set proceeded with both teams staying within one point of each other until Colorado found themselves at set point at 24-23 after a Sydney Jordan kill. The Bears were forced into taking a timeout.
Coming out of the break, Baylor knocked down two straight points and served Colorado their first view at losing the set, forcing the Buffs into a timeout. At this point, both teams had taken a desperation timeout facing set point. The Bears used the Buffaloes timeout to form a plan that worked, as they ended the set with three straight points to win 26-24.
Colorado came out the gates in the second set striking quick and powerful, bagging two points in quick succession. Baylor then answered with four of their own points.
Baylor senior Elise Mcghee put the Bears on her back, guiding a comfortable lead midway through the set. At this point, the score was 14-11 in favor of BU after two rapid kills by Mcghee. She finished with 24 on the day.
After a few more points, the Buffs found themselves down 21-14, a mid-set crumble from the stampede. After a BU block, the Buffs were forced into a timeout to try and salvage the set. Colorado ultimately ended up losing the set 25-16 on a service error.
CU got the third set underway with a service ace. Baylor then responded with a kill and a block of an attempt by Burilovic. Freshman Maria Spławska then subbed in and made an immediate impact with a block and two kills. The Buffs found themselves with a comfortable lead for the first time in the game, up 7-3. CU held onto this lead until it was tied at 16, where again Mcghee struck the ball into Colorado’s back court undefended.
The Buffs then began to fall apart, losing three straight points to make the game 19-17. The ultimate sign of defeat came when three different CU hitters had an attempt on killing a point, but all three attempts were blocked by BU defenders. CU lost the point and didn’t have much going toward the end of the game other than kills by Spławska and Burilovic.
The match ended in favor of the Bears 3-0. Colorado had some shine in parts of the game, but not enough to grab a set or have a chance at the match. The Buffaloes now drop their fifth game in a row and fall to 10-13 (3-8 Big 12).
The Buffaloes host another Big 12 opponent next Wednesday. The Utah Utes (17-4, 7-3 Big 12) will meet the Buffs at the CU Events Center at 7 pm MST (ESPN+).
Cover photo by CUBuffsVB/X
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