Matches Thread- VOLLEYBALL heads to L.A. to play UCLA (Friday., 9/29/23, 8:00 PM MT) and (RV) USC (Sunday, 2:00 PM MT)

[AztecBuff]

VOLLEYBALL (9-4 overall; 1-1 in the Pac 12) head off to Los Angeles for a big weekend of matches. 1st off is a Friday evening tilt with the UCLA Bruins (8-4, 0-2), and then head a little south to visit the RV (Receiving Votes) USC Trojans (8-4; 2-0) Sunday afternoon.

Not that last season means much of anything anymore, but just to maybe get a ROUGH idea on the competition, CU ended up #44 in the last RPI rating in 2022, while UCLA was #58 and USC #25 .

Friday's match against WSU is scheduled to be on the Pac 12 Network, while Sunday's is slotted to be on free live USC provided stream. (More info and links provided near the end of this post.)

Go Buffs!!!

(As I type this, no cubuffs.com preview is available.)
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More on the opponents -

UCLA:
Roster - https://uclabruins.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster
Stats - https://uclabruins.com/sports/womens-volleyball/stats/2023
Schedule - https://uclabruins.com/sports/womens-volleyball/schedule
Their preview article for the match with the Buffs - Not available as I type this.

USC:
Roster - https://usctrojans.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster
Stats - https://usctrojans.com/sports/womens-volleyball/stats
Schedule - https://usctrojans.com/sports/womens-volleyball/schedule
Their preview article for the match with the Buffs - https://usctrojans.com/news/2023/9/25/usc-womens-volleyball-takesa-on-mountains-at-home.aspx

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Media links:

Live stats:
Vs. UCLA - http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=479589
Vs. USC - https://usctrojans.com/sidearmstats/wvball/summary , or via a link at https://www.statbroadcast.com/events/statmonitr.php?gid=usc .

Live Video:
Vs. UCLA - The match is scheduled to be shown live on the Pac 12 Los Angeles channel. For those whose Cable/ Satellite/ Cord Cutting subscription includes access to any Pac 12 channel, assume it can also be streamed through a link at https://pac-12.com/womens-volleyball/event/2023/09/29/colorado-ucla.
Vs. USC - The match is scheduled to be shown on a free live stream available at https://pac-12.com/live/usc.

Match notes - https://cubuffs.com/documents/2023/9/26/CU_VB_at_UCLA___USC.pdf

Buffs' 2023 Team Prospectus - https://cubuffs.com/documents/2023/8/21/2023_VB_Prospectus.pdf

 

[AztecBuff]

Just as I posted the above, the preview article has been released -




Direct link - https://cubuffs.com/news/2023/9/26/volleyball-buffs-head-to-la.aspx

"
Volleyball September 26, 2023 by Tanner Kay, Athletic Communications Associate

Buffs Head to LA​

BOULDER – The Colorado Women's Volleyball team (9-4) head into the second week of Pac-12 conference play and will head to Southern California to take on USC and UCLA.

The Buffs are currently 1-1 in conference play after splitting matches with Utah and then-No. 4 ranked Stanford at home this past weekend. Colorado captured their one win over the Utes on Thursday in four sets, but then lost a close-fought battle in three sets to the Cardinal.

Maya Tabron leads the way for CU in kills (23) against Pac-12 opponents after two matches, while Lexi Hadrych still remains on top for the overall season with 153 kills.

With 93 kills and 59 total blocks, UNC transfer Skyy Howard continues to prove herself as an elite middle blocker. Howard leads the Buffs in both blocks and hitting percentage (.430).


OPPONENT OVERVIEW

UCLA

The Bruins were 8-2 headed into conference play but dropped their first two matches against USC and Oregon both at home this last week. Senior Iman Ndiaye has an impressive 163 kills while hitting .328 for the Bruins. The team has three players with at least 40 blocks so far in just 10 matches to start the year.

Colorado beat UCLA in both matches last season, the first time they have done so in a single season and their first time winning back-to-matches over the Bruins since the 2013 and 2014 seasons. Both teams sit at 5-5 against one another in the last 10 matchups.

USC

After losing four of their first matches to start the year, the Trojans now ride a seven-match winning streak heading into the weekend. They will take on Utah Friday night before they welcome the Buffs Sunday afternoon. Leading the Pac-12 a season ago in kills, Skylar Fields is once again scoring at will and holds the conference lead for kills, with 232.

CU will head into Los Angeles looking to beat USC on their home court for the first time in program history. The Buffs had just one win against the Trojans before the 2021 season, but have now won two of the last three matchups between the two.
"

 

[AztecBuff]

 

[AztecBuff]

Match day!

 

[AztecBuff]

It's 1-1 early in the 1st set as the match with UCLA has begun.

 

[AztecBuff]

Buffs are down much of the 1st set, work their way back to lead 23-22 late, but then the Bruins get the next 3 points to take the 1st set 23-25.

 

[AztecBuff]

Well that was disappointing. The Buffs get up 6 early, immediately give up a 7 point scoring run to give the Bruins the small lead, and then UCLA scores most of the points the rest of the way to go up 0-2 after a 21-25 2nd set.

Buffs hitting .031 so far. Obviously aren't going to win with that efficiency.

 

[AztecBuff]

No element, other than maybe serving, was good enough for the Buffs tonight, with the dreaded serve receive being probably the most inconsistent. Bruins get the sweep after a 17-25 3rd set.

Although I assume serve receive was a good part of the reason, they need to find a way to get more production from the middle and right-side hitters. They combined for only 7 kills vs. 9 errors tonight.

 

[Bmixer]

only Lexi and Myra hit above .000 till they get consistent production from the others it will be like this. beat the bad teams but struggle against the good teams. UCLA did not exactly put on an offensive display but more success in the diversity of their attack

 

[buffgal]

That was rather boring. The Buffs were never in the match after they gave up the 23-22 lead in Set 1.

The match I watched earlier was Nebraska-Purdue. Purdue took the Fuskers to 5 sets.

 

[AztecBuff]

Match day!

 

[AztecBuff]

It's 15 all in the 1st.

Starters were -

 

[AztecBuff]

 

[buffgal]

That was a bad match yesterday to end a bad weekend for the Volley Buffs.

The USC announcer was driving me nuts. She kept mispronouncing the names of the Buffs. Tabron became Tybron. I don't see a y in Tabron. She caught herself after she did the soft C on Carla Payne. Carla is not an unusual name.

 

[buffgal]

When the match is so bad I listen to announcers, the Buffs are playing very, very bad.