CU Women’s Volleyball Team On a Roll

The Buffaloes volleyball team started their preseason on Friday, Aug. 26, in the Buffs Invitational playing Green Bay, Western Michigan, and Denver on Saturday, Aug. 27. In just the first two games of the tournament, the Buffs were successful in securing the Buffs Invitational title.

Shortly after the Invitational play, the team was ready to move on to compete between the PAC-12 conference and the Big Ten conference. On Saturday, Sept. 3, they played the University of Illinois winning all three sets, then going on to play Sunday, Sept 4. defeating the University of Iowa, once again in all three sets. At this point in the preseason, the Colorado Buffaloes are 5-0 for the season and continue that momentum going into the Arkansas Invitational. 

Once in Arkansas, they started their first game facing off Florida International University on Friday, Sept. 9, absolutely dominating the Panthers winning 3-0. Their next game was shortly after playing Little Rock, also winning three sets to none. It wasn’t until Sunday, Sept. 11, that the Buffaloes were handed their first loss of the season by the University of Arkansas snapping the Buffs winning streak, resulting in a 0-3 loss. 

Looking forward

On Thursday, Sept. 15, the team began their third home-and-home series against Colorado State University playing in Fort Collins then came back up to Boulder to play at the CU Events Center, Friday, Sept. 16. Since the home-and-home series was implemented the series is tied (1-1), in winning the vintage spike. As of now the Buffs are (8-2), while the Rams are (7-3).

Looking after the Rocky Mountain Showdown, Colorado will launch into PAC-12 division play as their first match-up will be against the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Sept. 22. In their match-up last year the Buffs lost three sets to one and in their full history dating back to 1988, the Utes have defeated them 16 times compared to the Buffaloes’ 11 wins. After playing the Utes, Colorado comes back to play their first PAC-12 game at home on Sunday, Sept. 25. 

The Buffs then pack up for a two-game road trip challenging the California schools. First CU contends against the University of Southern California Trojans on Friday, Sept. 30, then move on to clash against the University of California, Los Angeles. The Buffs will be facing tough competition in this series and it will make for great games to watch this season. 

Following the two-game away games, the Buffaloes make their way back home for a four-game stretch playing in Boulder first opposing Stanford Friday, Oct. 7,  then Cal Sunday, Oct. 9,  Washington State Friday, Oct. 14, and finishing out with the Washington Huskies, Sunday, Oct. 16. 

After their four-game tenure, CU suits up in Corvallis playing Oregon State Friday, Oct. 21, then travels to Eugene to battle the Oregon Ducks Sunday, Oct. 23. Subsequently,  the Buffs go back home to play against both UCLA and USC once again starting Friday, Oct. 28, and then Sunday Oct. 30. The Buffs then pay a visit to Cal and Stanford for their first play in November starting Friday, Nov. 4, and Sunday, Nov. 8.

Once their stopover in California is complete, both Oregon schools come to CU to play starting off with the Ducks Thursday, Nov. 10 and then the Beavers Saturday, Nov. 12. Wrapping up the season, the last three games the Buffs face are on the road first playing Washington Friday, Nov. 18, Washington State Sunday, Nov. 20, and finally the Arizona Wildcats Wednesday, Nov. 23. 

For the team’s last play of the season, the Buffs will be facing off against the University of Utah on Friday, Nov. 25, at home for the second time this season. Colorado started the 2021-22 season last year with 10-0, and struggled a bit when PAC-12 play took off playing 6-14 in conference. Hopefully, the Buffs are set and are able to build off of their momentum they have begun in the preseason as the PAC-12 competition is here.