After a VERY solid start to the season, the level of competition is going up this week with the Buffs (4-0, 4-0) scheduled to embark on their 1st road trip of the year, visiting Pullman for a pair of matches against #22 ranked WSU (4-2, 4-2). (With 5 teams in the Pac 12 currently in the Top 25, and 5 more (including the Buffs) receiving votes, this will probably be the 1st of many matches against ranked Pac 12 teams this season. )
Both matches are scheduled to be streamed live by the Cougars. (Link available near the bottom of this post.)
I don't even know how they can be very accurate or helpful this season for conferences like the Pac 12 that aren't playing non-conference matches, but for what its worth, the current Massey ratings have the Buffs are at #16 and Cougars are #8.
Go Buffs!!!
Preview -
Direct link - https://cubuffs.com/news/2021/2/10/volleyball-buffaloes-to-battle-washington-state.aspx
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BOULDER – The Colorado volleyball team will face its toughest opponent of the season thus far Thursday at 5 p.m MT and Saturday at noon when the team heads to Pullman, Wash., to take on No.22-ranked Washington State.
The Buffaloes (4-0) are one of the two unbeaten teams in the Pac-12 and will face battle-tested Washington State (4-2) who has a win against every series opponent faced this season. In the three series against Oregon, Arizona State and No.18 UCLA, Washington State has had a four-set match and a five-set match, losing a five-setter to Oregon at home and dropping a four-setter at home against UCLA. Both losses came on the second matchup of the series.
The matchup will also feature two of the best defensive teams in the country. Colorado has three individuals in the top-10 in the conference in blocks per set, including the leader Meegan Hart and the second-best in setter Jenna Ewert. Colorado's 2.47 blocks per set only trail Washington State's 2.56 per set in conference standings.
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SCOUTING THE COUGS
The Cougs are scrappy. They find ways to find. In the first matchup against Oregon, Washington State hit .201 and Oregon hit .204. Everything in the box score would predict an Oregon win, not a Cougar 3-1 victory at home. In the second matchup, the Ducks held WSU to .093 hitting, but still the Cougars forced a fifth set that they lost. Against Arizona State, Washington State put up 15 and 13 blocks in four and five sets, respectfully. Against UCLA, WSU hit .336 in a five-set win, then were held to a .127 hitting percentage in a four-set loss despite hitting .400 in their second set win.
The keys for Colorado to key on will be to limit WSU's blocks with Kalyah Williams and AVCA Freshman of the Year Magda Jehlarova up front with 30 and 28 blocks, respectfully. The Cougars are also strong in the back row, averaging 14.41 digs per set. Offensively, Jehlarova is hitting .376 but outside of her the team only has Williams hitting greater than .200 at .209. If the team can keep WSU's offense in chaos it should fair well for CU.
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A little more on the Cougars -
Roster - https://wsucougars.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster
Stats - https://s3.amazonaws.com/sidearm.si...ents/2021/2/6/season_stat_2_6.pdf?path=wvball
Schedule/ results for this season - https://wsucougars.com/sports/womens-volleyball/schedule
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Media links:
Live video - Both matches are scheduled to be available on free live stream at https://pac-12.com/live/washington-state-university .
Live stats:
Thursday - https://stats.statbroadcast.com/statmonitr/?id=327013
Saturday - https://stats.statbroadcast.com/statmonitr/?id=327014
Both matches are scheduled to be streamed live by the Cougars. (Link available near the bottom of this post.)
I don't even know how they can be very accurate or helpful this season for conferences like the Pac 12 that aren't playing non-conference matches, but for what its worth, the current Massey ratings have the Buffs are at #16 and Cougars are #8.
Go Buffs!!!
Preview -
Direct link - https://cubuffs.com/news/2021/2/10/volleyball-buffaloes-to-battle-washington-state.aspx
"
BOULDER – The Colorado volleyball team will face its toughest opponent of the season thus far Thursday at 5 p.m MT and Saturday at noon when the team heads to Pullman, Wash., to take on No.22-ranked Washington State.
The Buffaloes (4-0) are one of the two unbeaten teams in the Pac-12 and will face battle-tested Washington State (4-2) who has a win against every series opponent faced this season. In the three series against Oregon, Arizona State and No.18 UCLA, Washington State has had a four-set match and a five-set match, losing a five-setter to Oregon at home and dropping a four-setter at home against UCLA. Both losses came on the second matchup of the series.
The matchup will also feature two of the best defensive teams in the country. Colorado has three individuals in the top-10 in the conference in blocks per set, including the leader Meegan Hart and the second-best in setter Jenna Ewert. Colorado's 2.47 blocks per set only trail Washington State's 2.56 per set in conference standings.
...
SCOUTING THE COUGS
The Cougs are scrappy. They find ways to find. In the first matchup against Oregon, Washington State hit .201 and Oregon hit .204. Everything in the box score would predict an Oregon win, not a Cougar 3-1 victory at home. In the second matchup, the Ducks held WSU to .093 hitting, but still the Cougars forced a fifth set that they lost. Against Arizona State, Washington State put up 15 and 13 blocks in four and five sets, respectfully. Against UCLA, WSU hit .336 in a five-set win, then were held to a .127 hitting percentage in a four-set loss despite hitting .400 in their second set win.
The keys for Colorado to key on will be to limit WSU's blocks with Kalyah Williams and AVCA Freshman of the Year Magda Jehlarova up front with 30 and 28 blocks, respectfully. The Cougars are also strong in the back row, averaging 14.41 digs per set. Offensively, Jehlarova is hitting .376 but outside of her the team only has Williams hitting greater than .200 at .209. If the team can keep WSU's offense in chaos it should fair well for CU.
"
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
A little more on the Cougars -
Roster - https://wsucougars.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster
Stats - https://s3.amazonaws.com/sidearm.si...ents/2021/2/6/season_stat_2_6.pdf?path=wvball
Schedule/ results for this season - https://wsucougars.com/sports/womens-volleyball/schedule
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Media links:
Live video - Both matches are scheduled to be available on free live stream at https://pac-12.com/live/washington-state-university .
Live stats:
Thursday - https://stats.statbroadcast.com/statmonitr/?id=327013
Saturday - https://stats.statbroadcast.com/statmonitr/?id=327014
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