BUFFS BLOCK WAY TO BIG 12 WIN

Saturday, November 8

Lubbock, Texas

6:00 p.m.

Colorado

Texas Tech

Photo by: CUBuffs.com

November 08, 2003 | Volleyball

By: Troy Andre, Assistant SID

LUBBOCK, Texas ? Colorado's recent resurgence in its blocking game continued Saturday night as the Buffaloes swept Texas Tech 30-17, 30-23, 30-25, in Big 12 Conference action at the United Spirit Arena.

Colorado improves to 17-8 overall and 9-6 in the Big 12, equaling its conference win total from 2002. Texas Tech drops to 10-14 overall, 2-13 in the Big 12.

The Buffs, who are currently eight overall in the Big 12 in blocking, reached double-digits in team blocks for the third time in four matches. CU had 13 ? team blocks in the first two games alone, before finishing with 14 ? overall. The Buffs are averaging 2.8 blocks per game over the last five matches.

Colorado had seven team blocks in game one. Freshman setter Ashley Nu'u had three of the solo variety while senior middle blocker Monique Gerlach had three block assists. Nu'u had seven blocks, all by the end of game two, just one shy of CU's single match record for a setter. Nicole Vranesh (1990) and Jennifer Sherlock (1988) share the record at eight.

“Texas Tech's sets were really tight tonight and we penetrated very well,” Nu'u said. “Our middles (Gerlach and Allie Griffin) also closed the blocks well, not leaving any space for their hitters to find the seams."

Nu'u also had 16 assists and hit .669 with six kills and no errors on nine attacks.

Gerlach had 11 kills and six block assists. Sophomore Maragda Santillana and freshman Austin Zimmerman each had four blocks.

Sophomore Nicole Carr recorded her Big 12 leading 14^th double-double of the season, finishing with a team-high 12 kills and 21 digs. Carr's 21 digs are a team season-high and the second time this season she has reached the 20 dig figure.

CU hit well, netting a .310 average. The Buffs had 53 kills on 126 attacks with just 14 errors. The Buffs proficiency in blocking led to a .100 hitting percentage for the Red Raiders. (41k-27e-140att). Breanna Pursley and Kelly Johnson each had 10 kills.

Colorado will host No. 21 ranked Texas A&M University on Wednesday, Nov. 12, at 7 p.m. at the Coors Events Conference Center. The match will be the first of three the Buffs will play against a ranked team in their next four outings.