TUCSON, Ariz.— After a quick turnaround from two tough road games last week, only returning to Boulder late Sunday night, the Colorado Buffaloes (9-8, 2-3 Big 12) made the flight to Tucson, Arizona on Wednesday night to take on the Wildcats (12-4,1-4 Big 12) and continue to fight for status in the Big 12 conference. The Buffs showed their resilience in five sets once again and secured another road win.
In the first set, both teams started by shaking off some bad habits. Arizona came off of 19 service errors in their last match but showcased intimidating blocking from the jump. CU libero Sarah Morton played with aggressive coverage early, with a quick pancake dig extending rallies and keeping her team in plays. However, Arizona’s hitters showed tremendous skill early on, utilizing players on both pins as well as the back row as threats, keeping their offense unpredictable.
Another bonus straightaway was their outside hitter Jordan Wilson: the top blocker in the nation for her position. Arizona took the first set 25-15, with CU hitting -.071 compared to the Wildcats’ .323.
In the second set, the Buffs battled back, with understated players such as Bella Simkus making the most of their time on the court. Lily Dwinell’s energy sparked the rest of her team’s fire as well. Arizona took their first timeout of the match with CU up 12-8. After a successful challenge call by head coach Jesse Maroney, the Buffs went up 18-14, and fantastic outside hitter Ana Burilović followed it up with two straight aces. The Wildcats took another timeout before eventually falling 17-25 to CU.
After splitting the first two sets, Colorado came out with the intensity they had carried throughout the previous set, with scrappy hustle plays keeping spirits high. Throughout the entire match, CU stayed steadily in front, with Arizona keeping close behind. The Buffs were able to keep themselves in the set mentally, staying confident and attacking each swing with the same aggressiveness and fighting for each point one at a time. Finding success hitting off the block, Colorado won set three 25-21, going up 2-1 in the match.
Having lost two straight, the Wildcats shot out to an early 10-3 in the third set. Trying to minimize their own mistakes, CU was able to cut the lead from down seven to trailing 15-19. In a timeout, Mahoney emphasized capitalizing on finishing this match, not aiming for a "next-set mentality", but instead wanting to wrap things up more quickly, per ESPN.
Dwinell continued to drive her swing home and use the block to her advantage, finishing the penultimate match with 17 kills. Down 17-20 in a critical moment, she got her team back in it, and Sydney Jordan added to her night’s resumé with Colorado’s eighth ace of the match.
With stellar plays from Morton’s defensive coverage and Burilovic’s powerful arm, CU went up 21-20 for their first lead of the set. Trading blocks and battling in serve receive, the teams were still even 25-25. Refusing to give up three straight on their home court, Arizona went into survival mode, winning the fourth set 27-25 and forcing a fifth.
Their ninth time going to five sets this season, Colorado has begun to expect this pressure and was ready to face it head-on. Jordan finished strong, with her 16 kills making her the third Buff player to finish in double-digits. After an Arizona timeout down 10-11, CU missed a pressure serve to even the score once again. Cayla Payne’s block came in clutch once again, and a big stuff block from her brought attitude and energy back into the Buffs’ squad.
Each team traded match points back and forth, with senior setter Taylor Simpson directing her team beautifully down the stretch. Given a free-ball overpass from Arizona’s defense, Colorado capitalized on their third chance, winning set five 18-16. Hitting .429 with 9 kills, CU finished on a high note in overtime and held off the Wildcats in the Big 12 standings.
The Buffs will take on No. 13 Arizona State (17-2, 6-1 Big 12) in Tempe on Friday at 8 P.M. MT. Watch the conference action continue on ESPN+.
Cover photo by CUBuffsVB/X
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