Colorado Buffaloes hold onto No. 24 rank with win against Texas Tech

In her Junior season, Cayla Payne has emerged as one of the faces of a much-improved Buffs team. (Photo by Zachary Giesenschlag/Sko Buffs Sports)

The Colorado Buffaloes (17-3, 8-1 Big 12) took on Texas Tech (8-12, 0-8 Big 12) on the road at United Supermarkets Arena on Wednesday. After five hard-fought sets, CU finally took the win over the Red Raiders. 

The No. 24 Colorado volleyball team came back from a 2-1 set disadvantage in an intense battle against the Red Raiders. 

In set one, the Buffs upheld zero attack errors for a .400 hitting percentage and repeated this in set five, hitting a .500.  

Junior middle blocker Cayla Payne recorded a new career-high hitting percentage of .750 off 15 kills as she helped carry CU to another victory. Junior PINs Ana Burilovic and Sydney Jordan had impressive games. Burolivic recorded 26 kills as well as a double-double, the eighth of her career, with 11 digs. Jordan also had a double-double, the 10th of her career, with 10 kills and 12 digs. 

The Buffs held the lead throughout the first set and ended it with a 4-0 run. They won the first set 25-18. 

To begin the second set, Texas Tech kept it close, but the Buffs used a 3-0 run to take the lead. 

However, TTU handed the 3-0 run right back to the Buffs not once but three times, forcing CU to use both of its timeouts. The Buffs couldn't make the comeback despite their best efforts and lost the second set 25-21. 

The next two sets were both hard-fought, with set three being awarded to TTU and set four being snatched by the Buffs, forcing a fifth and final set. 

Both teams battled in the fifth set. Burilovic once again exhibited her skills with one solo block and three kills. With two kills by middle blocker Cayla Payne, the Buffs ended the match in victory, 15-12. 

Colorado will return home on Saturday to face the Iowa State Cyclones. The first serve of the match is set for 1 p.m. MT (ESPN+).