On Saturday, the Colorado Buffaloes (11-14, 4-9 Big 12) hosted the Cincinnati Bearcats (13-10, 4-8 Big 12) . The Buffaloes were able to take the first two sets from Cincinnati with dominance, while the third set included a 10-1 scoring run, in which the Buffs proved to be the better team and won.
“This (win) is going to be really good for our confidence,” head coach Jesse Mahoney said when asked about his takeaways of the game. “We’ve had a rough stretch in the win-loss column, but I think we’ve done a really nice job of being in the right headspace.”
This win snaps the Buffaloes’ six-game losing streak in high fashion: with a sweep against a Big 12 rival.
The gates opened with a Cincinnati service error, giving the Buffs an opening lead. However, Cincinnati kept themselves in it until a 4-0 scoring run gave the Buffs an 11-9 lead. After a reviewed kill by Cincinnati stopped play, sophomore Ana Burilović knocked over a thunderous kill to regain Colorado’s momentum. The team was fired up into yet another 3-0 scoring run.
“I think it's really necessary to get points in a row and get things rolling,” sophomore hitter Lily Dwinell started on Colorado’s game-shifting runs.
This run helped Colorado close out the first set 25-20.
The second set was tight with both teams getting even at four points. By this point, Colorado looked a little slow, sloppy and not in rhythm until they mounted a five-point lead forcing Cincinnati into a timeout. Both teams had presence around the net, scoring blocks on both sides. A couple more back-and-forth points bumped the score up to 18-15, and Colorado was not allowing the Bearcats back into the game.
The Buffaloes then found themselves on a 4-0 scoring run, another very needed dominant stretch to close out the set. The Buffs were up 22-16 after three straight kills from Dwinell, Burilović, and Cayla Payne. After a last-ditch effort saw the Bearcats scoring three kills in rapid succession, Burilović made sure Colorado finished the set strong and knocked down another thunderous kill. CU closed the set out 25-18 on a team block, taking the game into the third set.
The Buffaloes looked like a different team than the one over the past few weeks, taking two dominant set victories and succeeding on all ends of the court with service aces, blocks, digs, and kills.
The third set showed a glimpse of the mid-season Buffs as they fell behind 10-5. Colorado looked shaken and were unable to get any scoring runs going. The Bearcats continued to dominate the set on the net and outlasted the Buffaloes during a couple lengthy rallies. Burilović then netted two back-to-back kills again, firing up her team and leading them to another 4-0 scoring run.
The Buffs dominated this game when they were able to string points together and shift Cincinnati’s momentum, disrupting the Bearcat tempo. Despite the small momentum shift, Colorado was still down 16-12. Then, the Buffs went on a forceful 10-1 scoring run and found themselves at set and match-point, but Cincinnati knocked down two kills in a row to bring the game a little closer. After a Cincinnati attacking error, CU was able to steal the last set 25-21 closing the game out at 3-0.
“I’m really happy…I think we gained our confidence and we were all really hungry for winning,” Burilović stated of the team’s mindset coming into this game.
The Buffs now sit at 4-9 in Big 12 play, just two spots behind Cincinnati. A Big 12 playoff appearance seems unlikely with only five games to go, but if the Buffs continue to play at this level (with some help from other teams) they may be within striking distance.
The Buffaloes get a couple days off before taking a trip to Ames, Iowa to take on the Iowa State Cyclones (9-13, 3-8 Big 12) in another Big 12 bout (ESPN+).
Cover photo by Brody Rector/Sko Buffs Sports
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