No. 11 Huskies Fall Short At Colorado

Friday, November 3

Boulder, Colo.

5:00 PM

University of Washington

18-6 (8-5)

Colorado

19-6 (9-5)

Washington

Colorado

November 03, 2017 | Volleyball

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By: UW Athletic Communications

BOULDER, Colo. – The 11th-ranked Husky volleyball team had its three-match win streak snapped while Colorado ran its own streak to four in a row and seven wins in its past eight, as the Huskies lost in three for just the second time this season, 25-22, 25-18, 25-22, at the Coors Events Center. Courtney Schwan led the Dawgs with 12 kills, hitting .440, but UW couldn't slow down a Buffs squad that hit .337 for the match.

Washington (18-6, 8-5 Pac-12) swept the Buffs in Seattle earlier this season but has had a tough time in Boulder, dropping three of the past four now at altitude. The Dawgs hit .191 and after 15.0 blocks in the first meeting between the teams, UW had just five tonight.

Sophomore Avie Niece got the start at middle blocker for an injured Marion Hazelwood, who suffered a broken finger in practice this week. Niece was a bright spot with six kills and two blocks, hitting .417. Senior Crissy Jones had eight kills and Carly DeHoog had five but both made four errors apiece.

"Outstanding serve, pass, and setting performance by Colorado. I thought (Colorado setter) Brynna DeLuzio showed some real grit in playing through the early ankle injury," said Head Coach Keegan Cook. "I'm disappointed for our team. There was an opportunity tonight to play an outstanding opponent who is playing December caliber volleyball. We missed that opportunity. Thankfully the game won't make us wait long for another opportunity to play a great opponent."

Colorado scored the first two points of the first set but a Schwan roll shot from the back row went down for UW's first point and the Huskies scored the next four as well to take a 5-2 lead. Sophomore Avie Niece hit down an overpass off her own attack for 8-5 Dawgs. But the Buffs then scored four in a row to retake the lead, 8-9, and the Huskies used their first timeout. Finau set Niece for a kill to finish a marathon rally out of the break for 9-9 and then DeHoog put the Huskies back up one with UW's first rejection. The lead swung back and forth, with Sanders posting a solo stuff in the middle for a 12-11 lead. Schwan added two more kills from the left set from Tanner but the Huskies trailed by one at 15-16. A 3-0 run from the Dawgs got them back even at 19-19 punctuated by a solo rejection from Scambray on the left pin. But a Husky unforced error put them back down 19-21 and caused UW's last timeout. DeHoog converted in serve-receive out of the break, but the Huskies missed their next serve and then hit another out of bounds to go down three. Down three set points at 21-24, Scambray saved one with a back row kill, but the Buffs put away their next chance to take it, 22-25.

Jones had the first two kills for the Dawgs in the second set as the teams were even at 3-3. Scambray tied it at 5-5 but the Buffs then had a 3-0 run to prompt an early Husky timeout. Sanders put down a quick from Finau out of the timeout. The teams traded points for several rallies until a block from Niece and Schwan was backed up by a second straight rejection from Niece in the middle to tie it at 11-11. Scambray hammered off the block for 13-all, but Colorado then had another 3-0 run to force UW into its last timeout down 13-16. The run hit 7-1 before Scambray got a kill to make it 15-20. She then drove two straight tough serves that were overpassed, with Schwan killing one and Sanders another for 17-20, forcing a Colorado timeout. The timeout worked, as Colorado scored five of the next six points to win the set, 18-25.

Scambray had a roof and then served an ace to get the Huskies going in the third set. Another tough Scambray serve was overpassed and Sanders hit it down for 4-1. Julye got into the tough serving mix with an ace for 6-2. Jones dropped another ace short for 8-4 and Colorado took timeout. The lead was erased quickly as Colorado scored four straight. Niece stopped that Buffs run with a kill, and another ace from Scambray tied the set up at 13. A tip from Schwan dropped to put the Huskies back up one at 15-14. Schwan had another crosscourt for 16-15, but Colorado then scored three in a row for 16-18 and the Huskies took timeout. The Dawgs let an ace drop and then Colorado had a block for 16-20 and UW had to use its last timeout. DeHoog got the sideout with a left side kill, but UW hit long in transition on the next point. Washington made a last ditch push with a DeHoog kill from the right, followed by a Jones tip kill and a Tanner ace to cut the gap to 21-23 and force Colorado's last timeout. But the Buffs put one down in serve-receive for match point at 21-24. Schwan saved the first with a kill out of the back, but Colorado converted its next chance to take the set and the match, 22-25.

Things won't get any easier for the Dawgs who have to travel Friday night to Salt Lake City then play the 15th-ranked Utes on Saturday at 6 p.m. Pacific time.