Rams Control Net in Sweep of Utah State

Team	1	2	3	Final F
Utah St.	20	16	18	0
Colorado St.	25	25	25	3

C!S!U! RAMS!

It was constantly what the crowd shouted as Colorado State passed and killed, once again sweeping an opponent. The Rams defeated Utah State 3-0 (25-20, 25-16, 25-19), earning their third sweep in Pac-12 play. They entered the weekend sitting first in the Pac-12 standings. With the win, Colorado State improved to 7-0 conference play and extended its winning streak to eight games.

Much of the Ram's success this season can be attributed to their presence at the net, ranking second in the nation in blocks per set.  Against Utah State, CSU continued to show why blocking has become one of the team's biggest strengths.

The last time these two teams faced off, the Rams squeezed by with a 3-2 victory (24-26, 25-23, 25-22, 17-25, 15-12). In that match, middle blocker Eve Wilson recorded a team-high and season-high nine blocks, while outside hitter Maria Brun added a team-high and season-high 15 kills.

CSU had a second opportunity against Utah State to solidify its place in the Pac-12 and show how its game has developed.

"We mainly wanted to do better in the serve and pass game, so I think we definitely won that tonight. We served a lot tougher," Wilson said. "It's easier to serve and pass well on your home court. We were able to get them out of system, and it makes everyone's life easier."

By putting pressure on Utah State with their serves, the Rams made it more difficult for the Aggies to use their offense. That pressure worked alongside CSU's blocking, limiting the options available to Utah State's hitters and allowing the Rams to control the pace of the match.

In all three sets, Colorado State started the scoring. The fans in Moby Arena erupted as Kekua Richards recorded the first kill, setting the tone for the rest of the match.

Although the Rams opened each set with a point, they allowed the Aggies to match their pace and capitalize on errors. Maintaining control early in a set remained an area of emphasis for CSU.

"I think we need to start strong moving forward. This game we played really well in the first set and played well at our end game," Wilson said. "So winning that first set just sets you up for so much more success for the rest of the match."

As Wilson said, the first set determines the match and using their size and consistency, the Rams proved this strong, not letting the Aggies get less than a seven-point gap.

The second set began with an immediate statement at the net. Richards opened with a block, once again showcasing the physical presence that has helped make CSU one of the nation's top blocking teams.

The Rams continued to build on that momentum, putting together multiple three-point runs and recording six blocks in each set. Using all of their arsenal, CSU continued to stop Utah State's attacks and take control.

The blocking effort was especially evident from Wilson and Richards. Teammates and roommates, the middle blockers have regularly worked together to shut down strong hitters. Consistently performing at the net, this pair showed that today was no different, totaling 16 blocks out of 18 total – a record for a three-set match in the modern scoring era, tied for second in any era.

It was the 11^th consecutive match with double-digit kills, the third longest run in program history.

"I think me and Eve are very diverse in how we play, and it's really easy as a middle blocker to focus only on offense and how you swing and try to get those kinds of kills," Richards said. "But I think both of us agree on the same thing, that we love getting blocks and we love getting up as much as we can, so I think wanting to be able to aim for both of those goals are really important."

This blocking success also goes beyond the senior duo. Sophomore Sofia Zabjek has emerged as another important presence at the net, adding depth to the wall.

Zabjek recorded eight blocks against Utah State, bringing her season total to 60. Her development has given Colorado State another reliable blocker and strength in rotations.

This growth has also meant learning a new position for Zabjek. With Wilson and Richards providing their experience, knowledge, and leadership.

"We're asking her to play a position that she didn't get recruited to play, and she's learning every single week and getting better every single week with the way her eyes work," CSU coach Emily Kohan said. "And again, just taking ownership allows her to block a lot of those big outside hitters, and so the three of them statistically are three of the best blockers in the conference."

Having three effective blockers gives CSU the flexibility it needs. Instead of relying on one or two players, they can extend the opportunities for other players to shine.

That depth has been especially valuable as CSU navigated injuries and changes to Saturday's lineup. Unlike previous matches, the Rams were unable to use as much of their roster, with only five players outside the starting lineup seeing the court. Even with fewer opportunities to rotate players, the Rams were still able to provide consistency.

Depth also extends to their hitters, giving the team additional ways to generate offense when opponents focus on one player. Ella Stowell recorded six kills in the third set with 14 total while hitting a robust .619, providing another offensive contribution as CSU closed out the sweep. Halle Jameson added 12.

"We've also been scheming a lot more this year, having different people that we're prioritizing across the net, and so we've been able to have a more unified system this year," Wilson said. "We're able to especially concentrate on the opponents and then make it really hard for them based on who's doing well that night or who's our best kid."

A unified team doesn't come from their height or athleticism, but also their teamwork and communication.

The mentality begins in practice, where blocking has become a central part of teamwork. The energy Wilson and Richards bring to the net has helped set the tone for a defensive unit that values defense just as much as offense.

"It's something we focus on in practice, and the team loves to block, especially those two middle blockers," Kohan said. "They take pride in owning the net and being shut-down blockers. The ferocity that the two middles play with is something that we don't train; they just love to do it."

As Colorado State continues its conference schedule, its blocking remains one of its biggest strengths. With a strong defense and depth across all positions, the Rams have made a solid team ready for any challenge.

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Maria Brun

Halle Jameson

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Players Mentioned

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