Colorado faces gauntlet to begin Big 12 play
The No. 21 Colorado Buffaloes (9-1) enter Big 12 play off a loss to their in-state rival Colorado State Rams. The Buffs now turn their attention to an 18-game conference schedule that will test whether their strong non-conference run can carry into the Big 12 gauntlet.
Colorado opens conference play against the Utah Utes (8-3) before starting a Big 12 slate that features some of the nation's toughest teams.
Colorado enters conference play with several key pieces and an experienced starting six. Striking the ball at .243 is arguably the conference’s best pin hitter, Ana Burilovic, the main attacker of this Buffs offense, with 157 kills. Alongside her are pin hitters Lily Dwinell and Sydney Jordan, hitting at .247 and .189, respectively.
Middle blocker Cayla Payne holds it down at the net, with five solo blocks and 48 block assists. Setter Jenna Ylivainio has set the Buffs up for success with 363 assists, while libero Tinons Munar-Galmes has stopped opponents' powerful strikes with 120 digs.
The Buffs start Big 12 play with a relatively easy homestand, with Utah and the Arizona Wildcats coming to town.
The Buffs play arguably the toughest month of their season in October, with six road games and four of those teams being ranked in the AVCA (American Volleyball Coaches Association) Poll: the No. 9 Arizona State Sun Devils, No. 11 TCU Horned Frogs, No. 17 Baylor Bears, and No. 22 BYU Cougars.
That stretch will challenge CU, which has relied on Burilovic throughout the season, raising the question: can the Buffs find another player they rely on as much as her?
The answer comes in three different ways: most top teams in the nation have two hitters they can rely on, and some of those teams lie in the Big 12, like ASU, Kansas, and TCU.
The Sun Devils are led by opposite hitter Noemie Glover, and on the other side of the net is Una Vajagic. Both are averaging over three kills per set and have over 140 total kills. ASU has created problems for CU over the last couple of years because it can attack from both sides of the net.
The Wildcats and Horned Frogs have also given the Buffs problems for the same reason. Both teams have hitters on both sides of the net and can share the ball so Colorado’s defense can't predict where it will go.
The Buffs, however, have only one of those hitters in Burilovic. As one of the nation's most dangerous attackers, defenses across the Big 12 now know who to focus on when facing the Buffs.
Buffs head coach Jesse Mahoney knows Colorado will need to balance getting the ball to its best attacker with keeping opposing defenses guessing.
“We’re always trying to spread the ball around. We’re trying to be as unpredictable as we can,” said Mahoney Thursday after practice. “We also know you’ve got to call on your best player sometimes.”
Burilovic isn’t shying away from the extra attention that comes with being Colorado’s primary offensive weapon.
“I’m not too worried about any team,” said Burilovic after practice Thursday. “I feel like if I’m doing everything right, if I’m in myself, I jump high, hit high, I shouldn’t have a problem.”
While offense might not be the Buffs' strong suit, their defense has taken a big step toward elite status, led by Payne, who was named to the All-Big 12 Preseason Second Team. The Buffs are second in the nation in blocks per set at 3.25, fifth in opponent hitting percentage at .139, and 15th in total blocks at 117.
Colorado’s defense could be the equalizer against the more balanced offense they will see in conference play. While teams like ASU and TCU can attack from multiple positions, the Buffs' ability to slow opponents down and force inefficient swings could take pressure off an offense trying to find a consistent second option behind Burilovic.
For Munar-Galmes, Colorado’s block also makes the defense behind it more predictable.
“I’m able to get more digs and be in place,” said Munar-Galmes Thursday after practice. “Everything is organized, and everyone knows where to go.”
Colorado will have to rely on both sides of the net on the road, with the toughest stretch of its conference schedule coming away from Boulder.
Like the Sun Devils, TCU also depends on its outside hitters, Evan Hendrix and Becca Kelley, who have 156 and 160 kills, respectively, and are both hitting above .240. CU will need to focus on its elite blocking to slow down the Horned Frogs’ attack. On the other side of the net, Burilovic will face a TCU defense that averages 2.74 blocks per set.
Kansas presents a different challenge for Colorado at the service line. The Jayhawks average 2.14 aces per set, ranking among the nation’s strongest serving teams, while their opponents average just 0.74.
This could put pressure on Munar-Galmes and Colorado’s serve receiving, as keeping Ylivainio in the system will be the key to giving the Buffs multiple offensive options.
Munar-Galmes believes handling that pressure starts with trusting Colorado’s passing unit.
“I think we’re all a great passing team,” Munar-Galmes said. “We just need to rely on each other when things get hard.”
BYU may present the biggest test for Colorado’s defense. The Cougars enter conference play hitting .304 as a team and averaging 13.54 kills per set, while holding opponents to a .182 hitting percentage. Colorado’s block, which has held opponents to a .139 hitting percentage, will have to contend with a BYU offense that can produce efficiently from several positions.
Middle blocker Kelli Jo Burgess could present a particular challenge, hitting .459 while also averaging 1.87 blocks per set.
Before the Buffs enter the toughest stretch of their schedule, they have an opportunity to build momentum at home. Colorado opens Big 12 play against Utah before hosting Arizona, giving the Buffs two matches at the CU Events Center before six of their next eight are played on the road.
Despite Colorado’s 9-1 start, libero Avery Bolles knows the Buffs’ nonconference success won’t carry any weight once Big 12 play begins.
“Just because we were 9-1 doesn’t mean anything coming into conference games,” said Bolles Thursday after practice. “The Big 12 is a great conference to play in, so we have to just grind everything.”
For Burilovic, the next 18 matches are an opportunity to see how far a Colorado team that showed plenty of potential in nonconference play can take its season.
“I think we have a lot of potential. I think we are a very talented team,” Burilovic said. “I’m curious to see how the Big 12 is going to play out because it’s very competitive this year, but I’m also very confident, and I know we work hard every day.”
The Buffs open Big 12 play with a game against the Utah Utes on Friday at 7 p.m. MT (ESPN+).
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