Matches Thread-(RV) VOLLEYBALL @ Arkansas tourney facing Florida Int'l. & Little Rock (Fri., 9/9/22, 11 AM & 4 PM MT) & (RV) Arkansas (Sun., Noon MT)

[AztecBuff]

The (RV) volleyball team (5-0) goes on the road to Fayetteville, AR for its 1st road trip of the season as it faces off against Florida International (0-6, 11:00 AM MT) and Little Rock (2-4, 4:00 PM MT) on Friday Saturday, and then face off against Arkansas (4-1) on Sunday at noon MT.

It looks like neither of Friday's Saturday's matches will be viewable via TV or stream, while the Arkansas match is scheduled to be shown on the SEC Network+. (See more details and link near the bottom of this post.)

Go Buffs!!!

Preview - https://cubuffs.com/news/2022/9/6/volleyball-colorado-takes-its-perfect-record-on-the-road.aspx

"
BOULDER — The University of Colorado women's volleyball team will take its perfect 5-0 record on the road to Fayetteville, Ark., this weekend with three matches in the Arkansas Invitational.

The Buffaloes start things off Friday at 11 a.m. MT against Florida International University and finish the day at 4 p.m. MT against Little Rock. Colorado takes Saturday off before facing host school Arkansas at 12 p.m. MT.

CU is off to its fifth 5-0 start in program history and the fourth under head coach Jesse Mahoney, who is poised to win his 100th match at CU needing just three more wins. Mahoney has the Buffs ranked second in the NCAA in blocks per set this young season at 3.28, mostly due to the back-to-back Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week Alexia Kuehl who is second in the NCAA with 1.89 blocks per set.

The defense is holding opponents to .150 hitting, good for 40th in the NCAA. That pairs well with the offense that has exploded with the 12th-best hitting percentage in the NCAA at .309. Meegan Hart is a major factor as she owns the third-best NCAA hitting percentage at .535 and setter Taylor Simpson that is 37th in the NCAA in assists per set and has CU as a team 24th in the category. The Buffs are also ranked 18th in the NCAA in kills per set at 14.22.
...

Neither of Friday's matches will be televised or streamed, but the match will be available on the SECN+ against Arkansas.

FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY
FIU is winless this season with six losses. They began the season in a four-set loss to Iowa and have since lost to Gonzaga, Oklahoma, ASU, Dayton and No.5 Georgia Tech. The Panthers are hitting .135 while allowing opponents to hit .241. Emily Meyer leads the team with 3.09 kills per set in the 6-2 system. Their libero Katie Turner leads the team with 87 digs.

LITTLE ROCK
The Trojans are 2-4 this season with wins over Jackson State and Mississippi Valley State. The team is coming off a sweep to Alabama Birmingham on the road and will face FIU Thursday evening. LR is hitting .151 and holding opponents to just a .156 hitting percentage. The team doesn't have a hitter with more than 2.5 kills per set but has seven different hitters averaging one or more kills per set. Libero Livia Kimura has 13 service aces already and leads the team with 67 digs.

ARKANSAS
Arkansas brings a 4-1 record to their tournament with their lone loss as a back-to-back four setter against No.8 Washington. They started the season downing the Huskies in four sets. Arkansas was in Colorado last weekend at the CSU Tournament where they won nine-straight sets to sweep CSU, Alabama State and Florida Golf Coast. The Razorbacks are receiving votes in the AVCA poll.

Arkansas is hitting an outstanding .326 while holding opponents to a .211 hitting percentage while averaging 2.47 blocks per set. Taylor Head leads the team with 3.63 kills per set and a .409 hitting percentage. She is joined by Jillian Gillen at 3.53 kills per set and a .261 hitting percentage. The Razorbacks run a 6-2 system with Hannah Hogue and Gracie Ryan and feed their three hitters in Head, Gillen and Maggie Cartwright more than 68 percent of the time.
"
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

More on the opponents -

Florida International:
Roster - https://fiusports.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster
Stats - https://fiusports.com/sports/womens-volleyball/stats/2022?path=wvball
Schedule/ results for this season - https://fiusports.com/sports/womens-volleyball/schedule
Their preview article for the match with the Buffs - https://fiusports.com/news/2022/9/7...volleyball-set-for-arkansas-invitational.aspx

Little Rock:
Roster - https://lrtrojans.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster
Stats - https://lrtrojans.com/sports/womens-volleyball/stats
Schedule/ results for this season - https://lrtrojans.com/sports/womens-volleyball/schedule/2022
Their preview article for the match with the Buffs - https://lrtrojans.com/news/2022/9/7...le-for-challenging-arkansas-invitational.aspx

Arkansas:
Roster - https://arkansasrazorbacks.com/sport/w-volley/roster/
Stats - https://arkansasrazorbacks.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/2022-VB-Season-Stats-2.pdf
Schedule/ results for this season - https://arkansasrazorbacks.com/sport/w-volley/schedule/
Their preview article for the match with the Buffs - Not available as I type this.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Media links:

Vs. Florida International:
Live stats -

StatBroadcast Live Stat Feed

Vs. Little Rock:
Live stats - http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=422183

Vs. Arkansas:
Live stats -

StatBroadcast Live Stat Feed

Live Video - For those who have access to SEC Network+, a stream will be available at https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/35b74b5b-bfcf-490c-b989-e169ba160d12 , as well as being accessible through the ESPN App.

 

[AztecBuff]

 

[buffgal]

I get SEC Network but not Plus. I will have to see if it will let me log in.

 

[AztecBuff]

I get SEC Network but not Plus. I will have to see if it will let me log in.

Hopefully you'll be OK as you have SEC Network access. Assuming https://support.espn.com/hc/en-us/a...nce matchups will also be available via ESPN+. is current, it says
"SEC Network+ is complementary to SEC Network offering exclusive digital events. It is accessible with your TV provider credentials and is available via the ESPN APP on smartphones, tablets, connected streaming devices, or espn.com/watch."

 

[buffgal]

I hope that works. With my Dish subscription I get SEC, ACC, Pac 12, Big 10 and the Longhorn Network. I mostly watch Pac 12 and Big 10.

 

[AztecBuff]

Wanted to note I had to correct my original post and the thread title, as the Florida Int'l. and Little Rock matches are on Friday, not as I originally stated on Saturday.

 

[Buffnik]

Wanted to note I had to correct my original post and the thread title, as the Florida Int'l. and Little Rock matches are on Friday, not as I originally stated on Saturday.

Thanks. 7-0 heading into the weekend would be sweet.

 

[AztecBuff]

Match day (X2)!

 

[AztecBuff]

From the live stats, not a pretty set against the 1-6 Panthers, but the Buffs (with their usual starting lineup) win the 1st 25-22 by scoring the last 3 points, in spite of only hitting .108.

 

[AztecBuff]

The Buffs gave up a 4 point scoring run late, but still comfortably win the 2nd set 25-19. (For some reason, live stats is saying it's the match, even though I assume a 3rd set is upcoming. EDIT - They are showing starting lineups for set 3, so looks like live stats were just off for a bit.)

 

[AztecBuff]

Buffs complete the sweep after a 25-18 3rd set.

Way to go Buffs!





(With FIU getting its 1st win of the season yesterday by beating CU's afternoon opponent Little Rock 3-1, with 2 of their set wins being by 25-14 scores, assume the Buffs will have more time to clean things up this afternoon before facing MUCH tougher competition Sunday against the 5-1 (and I assume favored) Razorbacks.)

 

[AztecBuff]

Looks like the team had another convincing win in their afternoon/ evening match. Now on to face tourney host Arkansas in a couple days, which may be the toughest match of non-conference.

 

[AztecBuff]

Article after today's matches -




Direct link - https://cubuffs.com/news/2022/9/9/volleyball-buffs-tie-rally-era-set-record.aspx

"
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The University of Colorado women's volleyball picked up a pair of sweeps today against Florida International and Little Rock here Friday in the Arkansas Invitational to remain undefeated.

The Buffaloes (7-0) swept FIU (1-7) by a score of 25-22, 25-19, 25-18, then took down Little Rock (2-7) in straight sets 25-16, 25-19, 25-20. Colorado has now won 14-straight sets, tying the rally-scoring record for consecutive sets won with the 2018 squad.

Graduate transfer Lexi Hadrych put on a show in the late game, recording seven kills in the first 11 points of the match. She finished the match against Little Rock with 19 kills (6.33 kills/set) hitting .361 and finished the first day with 28 kills hitting .283. She was joined offensively by Maya Tabron who had 20 combined kills with a .277 hitting percentage.

Setter Taylor Simpson had the Buffs' offense rolling all day long with the team hitting a combined .278. Colorado recorded 14 or more kills in five of six sets today and had three sets hitting greater than .300. She also recorded her first career double-double against FIU with 10 digs and 31 assists. Simpson finished the day averaging 11.16 assists per set and three digs per set.

Two-time defensive player of the week Alexia Kuehl had a more offensive day today, posting 15 kills with a .441 hitting percentage. She added seven combined blocks, the same amount that Meegan Hart combined for. Hart combined for a dozen kills today.

The defense from the backrow was on full display early when four players recorded double-digit digs in the match against the Panthers. Katie Lougeay had 18 digs, averaging six per set, in the early match and finished with a combined 30 digs to average five per set in the first two matches. Brynna DeLuzio and Jill Schneggenburger each had 11 digs in the first match as well.

The Buffaloes had Saturday off before facing host school Arkansas for a 12 p.m. MT match. Head coach Jesse Mahoney will have his first attempt to reach 100 wins at Colorado Sunday.
...

QUOTES

HEAD COACH JESSE MAHONEY
On The Match Against FIU
"Happy to get our first win outside the CUEC. Finding a rhythm when we are on the road is important and we struggled to find it early but settled down as the match went on. We had some great performances- and defended especially well. Quick turnaround and back at it in 3 hours!"

On The Match Against Little Rock
"A little bit of a slow start to each one of the sets tonight - but I was happy with how we finished. We found a way late in each set to put some pressure on them from the service line and finish. Huge match from Lexi Hadrych - when she lines up and is driving to the ball she is tough to stop."
"
______________________________________________________________________________________________

Box scores:
Vs. FIU - https://cubuffs.com/sports/womens-volleyball/stats/2022/florida-international/boxscore/15927
Vs. Little Rock - https://cubuffs.com/sports/womens-volleyball/stats/2022/little-rock/boxscore/15926

 

[AztecBuff]

About 3 hours til the opening serve.

 

[AztecBuff]

The match is beginning.

 

[AztecBuff]

Buffs with a nice comeback from a 13-19 deficit to get it down to a 1 point deficit, but then the Razorbacks scored the last few to win the 1st set 20-25.

As their record (and highlight win over Udub to open the season) indicate, Arkansas looking very solid to me so far, with good defense, and good terminators able to hit it hard both in and out of system.

 

[AztecBuff]

Arkansas continuing their great play (and the Buffs not so much) and go up 0-2 in sets after an easy 16-25 2nd set.

 

[AztecBuff]

And the Buffs lose after another ugly set, losing the match 0-3 after a 14-25 3rd set.

CU, I believe for the 1st time this season, started a set (the 3rd) in a 6-2, with Deluzio, in her back row rotations, setting while teamed with Parker as her rightside hitter, and Simpson in her back row rotations setting with Schneggenburger as the rightside. Obviously didn't help in this instance, but who knows (outside the coach) what the future holds.

Oh well- the team just needs to shake this one off and have a couple good days of practice in preparation for its last scheduled non-conference matches of the season, a back to back against CSU this Thursday (in Fort Collins) and Friday (in Boulder).

We can also only hope Arkansas continues its sterling play from this early season the rest of the way so this at least ends up being a "good" RPI loss. (Poll-wise, I'd guess the Razorbacks may have a chance at being ranked tomorrow's weekly poll, as they had the 29th most votes in the last poll, and there were quite a few upsets overall this weekend.)

 

[BeBe]

Horrible performance by CU. I remember a few years back, every time CU got votes in the Coaches poll they proceeded to play an ugly losing match. Looks like they still are suffering from that malady.