WATCH: Terris Harris breaks down the Colorado Buffaloes' exciting win over the USC Trojans.
The Colorado Buffaloes (13-9) defeated the University of Southern California Trojans (13-8) in a thrilling, nail-biting five-set victory.
The first set started slowly for the Buffs as they dropped down to a 3-1 deficit. Despite the early, minor setback, Colorado rallied to take momentum from the Trojans they gained themselves into an 11-6 lead.
The Trojans ultimately began a comeback, forcing Colorado to take their first timeout when the game was tied at 17. Nonetheless, USC kept the momentum for the remainder of the set and forced the Buffs to take another timeout at 22-20 before winning the set 25-21.
Similarly to the first, the second set started slowly as the Buffs dropped a 3-0 deficit to the red and yellow. Freshman Lily Dwinell got things going for the Buffs as she scored a kill to try and get Colorado some much-needed momentum. The black and gold squad would use this momentum to take the lead at 8-7.
The situation seemed to even out as Colorado and USC bounced points back and forth, with neither team taking a lead larger than two points.
This changed when junior Taylor Simpson had a block that brought the Buffs’ lead to 21-18 as Southern California took a timeout.
Freshman Ana Burilovic would cap off the second set with an amazing service ace as Colorado took the set 25-21.
The Buffs started the third set with much better fortune as they would take the first two points. Unfortunately, the Trojans would stomp on that momentum and take the next four out of the next five points. Colorado had to play from behind for the remainder of the set despite a charge that resulted in a USC timeout at 17-16.
However, the Trojans took the next three points to extend their lead to 20-16 as Colorado took a timeout. Southern California played strong out of the timeout, which gave them a 25-19 victory in the third set.
The fourth set was much more even from the beginning. Neither team could separate as they bounced points back and forth. This lasted well into the set, as the score got to 23-22 in favor of the Buffs with no team taking a lead larger than three. Despite the back and forth nature of the set, Colorado would find some late momentum to take control and win the fourth set, 25-23.
In the fifth and final set, the Buffs and Trojans traded opening points before Burilovic grabbed some momentum with an incredible kill that generated plenty of “oohs” from the crowd. She followed that up with a service ace.
Neither team was able to pull away in the set, and after two attempted challenges by the Buffs, one successful, the Trojans took a timeout at 12-10. Out of the timeout, Southern California scored three straight to retake the lead, forcing Colorado to take a timeout of their own.
However, the Boulder squad proved once again that they never quit as they retook the lead themselves to make it 14-13.
With the game at match point, Dwinell served the ball and USC returned it, only for it to sail out of bounds as it was called a Buffs point.
Lily Dwinell goes for a kill late in the fourth set. Dwinell finished the night with 15 kills. (Photo by Corey Neumeier/Sko Buffs Sports)
The black and gold were without their best point scorer, graduate student Lexi Haydrych, which forced adjustments all around. However, no adjustment was bigger than Burilovic having to step up into that role.
“She’s filling some big shoes for sure,” Senior Maya Tabron said about the team’s efforts to support Burilovic in her new role, “I had a little chat with her before the game and I just told her, ‘You wouldn’t be on this court if we didn’t think that you could help us win.’”
Burilovic finished with a team-high five service aces along with being third on the team with 10 kills.
The Colorado Buffaloes look to wrap up their penultimate series at home with a win as they play the University of California-Los Angeles Bruins on Sunday, Oct. 29th, at 2:00 p.m. MDT at the CU Events Center.
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