Buffs fall in four to No. 11 BYU
They were in it until they weren’t.
The No. 25-ranked Colorado Buffaloes (13-5, 4-4 Big 12) fell in four sets to the No. 11 BYU Cougars (16-1, 8-0).
Junior libero Tinons Munar Galmes recorded her 1,000th career dig while sophomore Ines Losada tied her career high in kills with 14. Senior Ana Burilovic added 13 kills while senior Cayla Payne had nine kills and five blocks. The Buffs totaled 50 kills, but it wasn’t enough to match the Cougars’ 53.
The Buffs made more errors, had fewer blocks, assists and a lower hitting percentage than the Cougars on the night.
The first set went the Buffs' way, however, with 15 of their first 20 points coming from kills. Two Losada kills bookended the set, 25-23.
In the second set, the Buffs climbed to a 10-6 lead before a 5-1 BYU rally retook the lead. The two teams traded points across the middle portions of the second set, but the Cougars were eyeing a 23-19 lead. Losada added two more kills at the end of the set, but it wasn’t enough as BYU took the set, 25-22.
The Buffs hit .338 across the first two sets but struggled in the final two.
“[During] sets three and four, [our] passing broke down a bit and we became more predictable than we wanted to be,” head coach Jesse Mahoney said after the game.
In the third set, the Buffs’ hit percentage was negative at -0.107, with 10 attack errors.BYU took advantage with a 5-0 run after the Buffs were within one point early.
Colorado closed the gap, 17-16 with two Payne blocks, but three more attack errors fueled another 5-0 BYU run at the end of the set. The Cougars put down three consecutive kills to end on an 8-0 run, taking the third set 25-16.
In the do-or-die fourth set, the Buffs started hot, taking a 7-3 lead before the Cougars chipped away, earning two points for every one of Colorado’s. That’s not a recipe for success, as BYU eventually took back the lead, 18-15. With momentum firmly on the Cougars’ side, they rode out to a 25-18 fourth-set win, winning 3-1 in sets.
Colorado’s next game is in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Sunday, when they play the Utah Utes (12-7, 4-4). First serve is set for 1 p.m. MT (ESPN+).
Comments