CU volleyball celebrates as they were up against Cincinnati at the CU Events Center on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. (Izabelle Stewart-Adams/CU Independent)
The University of Colorado women’s volleyball team traveled to Ames, Iowa, to take on the Iowa State University Cyclones. Coming off a recent win against the University of Cincinnati Bearcats, the Buffs were ready to play on Nov. 13.
Colorado came back to win in four sets after dropping the third. Ana Burilović once again led the way, finishing with 17 kills. The sophomore has been on fire, continuing to improve in recent weeks. Lily Dwinell and Sarah Morton also turned in strong performances, with Dwinell recording 12 kills and Morton adding 20 digs. As Taylor Simpson nears the end of her college career, she surpassed 40 assists and remained a strong leader on the court.
The Buffs dominated the first two sets. Playing a back-and-forth game, CU was able to exploit Iowa State’s weaknesses. Morton’s connection with Simpson from the back row gave the Buffs more options at the net. A series of aces helped CU build momentum, and they finished the first set with a 25-19 win. Though the Buffs fell behind early in the second set, they quickly caught up with the Cyclones and finished it off with a 25-20 win.
Colorado dropped the third set, starting with a 4-0 run by Iowa State. The Cyclones continued to apply pressure, finding openings in CU’s defense, and the Buffs fell 25-17. However, CU regained control in the fourth set. After a back-and-forth battle for the first 30 points, the Buffs returned to their rhythm. Capitalizing on strong serving and attacking, CU pushed for a 25-21 win to seal the match.
Coming off a two-game win streak, the Buffs will take on the University of Arizona on Thursday at the CU Events Center. They will also face the Arizona State University Sun Devils on Saturday at noon at the events center.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Izzy Stewart-Adams at izabelle.stewart-adams@colorado.edu.
