University of Northern Colorado Athletics
Friday, September 8
Albuquerque, N.M.
10:00 am
University of Northern Colorado
vs
University of Portland
Photo by: Dean Popejoy
Preview: @UNCBearsVB head south to the Lobo Classic
9/6/2017 7:20:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Northern Colorado will play three matches against quality opponents
GREELEY, Colo. – After playing in the NDSU Classic last weekend and playing in the Lobo Classic this weekend, Northern Colorado volleyball might feel like they live on the road.
The Bears travel south to Albuquerque for the 2017 Lobo Classic, hosted by the University of New Mexico at the Johnson Center. UNC will face Portland University and UT-Arlington in a double-header on Friday, before taking on New Mexico Saturday afternoon.
During the NDSU classic, the potential for what Northern Colorado could be this season was on display. Emily O'Neil returned to the regular line up and put on an impressive performance over the weekend. O'Neil powered the Bears with 28 kills and a .453 attack percentage, along with 15 blocks to earn All-Classic honors for the tournament. O'Neil reflected on getting back on the court, "It was awesome getting my first taste out on the court after a couple of games not being in there. Everyone was awesome and encouraging and it felt like normal again." Taylor Els also earned All-Classic honors after tallying 43 digs and six service aces. Els currently ranks first in the Big Sky Conference with 4.62 digs per set.
Freshman Taylor Muff had a break-out game against San Francisco with 14 kills and nine digs, while hitting .407 in the match. Muff ended the weekend with 29 kills and a .374 attack percentage. Kortney Lockey recorded her first double-double of the season against Florida A&M with 13 kills and 11 digs. Northern Colorado put all aspects of its game together in Fargo and showed they can perform at high level. The Bears looked to have discovered part of their identity in the NDSU Classic and they look to carry it over to the Lobo Classic.
Northern Colorado looks to cut down on its service errors this weekend after committing 27 in Fargo. O'Neil talked about the teams effort to correct this issue, "We have been taking a lot of time in practice to work on our serving. We have been taking extra reps and focusing on making it a priority because those errors are costing us games." Although the team struggled with errors in the tournament, Muff sees the improvement from her teammates, "The best example has been Taylor Els, who has one of the best serves on our team. She went into CSU and was very high error with her serves. Then [she] came in last weekend and probably got five or six aces so that was a great turnaround for her."
The first opponent for UNC in the Lobo Classic will be the Portland Pilots out of the West Coast Conference. Portland enters the tournament with a 5-1 record and has higher expectations this season after being picked third in the conference preseason poll. The Pilots return eight letter winners and four starters from the 2016 team. Outside hitter, Reghan Pukis, ranks first in the WCC in both attacks per set(11.77) and kills per set(4.36). Northern Colorado last met Portland in 2010 during the UniWyo Cowgirl Classic where the Bears swept the Pilots in an early season match. UNC will play Portland on Friday at 10 a.m mountain time.
Later on Friday, Northern Colorado will play UT-Arlington at 5:15 p.m to finish the double-header. UT-Arlington has also started the season well with a 5-1 record. The Mavericks were selected to finish third in the Sun Belt Western Division. The Bears will have to deal with a pair of All-Sun Belt preseason selections in outside hitter Qiana Canete and middle blocker Zhanelle Geathers. The two teams also previously faced off in the 2010 UniWyo Cowgirl Classic with the Bears also sweeping the Mavericks.
Northern Colorado concludes its Lobo Classic play with a match against tournament host, New Mexico. The Lobos started 4-2 on the season with a roster that has nine freshman. Although young, New Mexico has experienced starters including senior libero Ashley Kelsey and junior middle blockers Victoria Spragg and Maressa Carrasco. The Bears have not played the Lobos since 2007 where they lost 1-3 in Albuquerque.
With three matches this weekend, UNC has the opportunity to return home with an above .500 record.
Practice paying off
"The right side blockers and our pin blockers have been doing a really good job of being adamant about getting out to the line. Their setting an easy block for us to close to. We have been practicing a lot of diving back in on the cross court and just being a presence at the net. All the reps we have been doing on top of the pin blockers working really hard is helping us middles get some blocks."-Emily O'Neil, Middle Blocker
"Blocking is definitely a very hard skill in volleyball and watching it come together this weekend was one of the best feelings that you can get as a team. Going from getting maybe one or two blocks a game to seven or eight and its just a great outcome for us."-Taylor Muff, Outside Hitter
The Bears travel south to Albuquerque for the 2017 Lobo Classic, hosted by the University of New Mexico at the Johnson Center. UNC will face Portland University and UT-Arlington in a double-header on Friday, before taking on New Mexico Saturday afternoon.
During the NDSU classic, the potential for what Northern Colorado could be this season was on display. Emily O'Neil returned to the regular line up and put on an impressive performance over the weekend. O'Neil powered the Bears with 28 kills and a .453 attack percentage, along with 15 blocks to earn All-Classic honors for the tournament. O'Neil reflected on getting back on the court, "It was awesome getting my first taste out on the court after a couple of games not being in there. Everyone was awesome and encouraging and it felt like normal again." Taylor Els also earned All-Classic honors after tallying 43 digs and six service aces. Els currently ranks first in the Big Sky Conference with 4.62 digs per set.
Freshman Taylor Muff had a break-out game against San Francisco with 14 kills and nine digs, while hitting .407 in the match. Muff ended the weekend with 29 kills and a .374 attack percentage. Kortney Lockey recorded her first double-double of the season against Florida A&M with 13 kills and 11 digs. Northern Colorado put all aspects of its game together in Fargo and showed they can perform at high level. The Bears looked to have discovered part of their identity in the NDSU Classic and they look to carry it over to the Lobo Classic.
Northern Colorado looks to cut down on its service errors this weekend after committing 27 in Fargo. O'Neil talked about the teams effort to correct this issue, "We have been taking a lot of time in practice to work on our serving. We have been taking extra reps and focusing on making it a priority because those errors are costing us games." Although the team struggled with errors in the tournament, Muff sees the improvement from her teammates, "The best example has been Taylor Els, who has one of the best serves on our team. She went into CSU and was very high error with her serves. Then [she] came in last weekend and probably got five or six aces so that was a great turnaround for her."
The first opponent for UNC in the Lobo Classic will be the Portland Pilots out of the West Coast Conference. Portland enters the tournament with a 5-1 record and has higher expectations this season after being picked third in the conference preseason poll. The Pilots return eight letter winners and four starters from the 2016 team. Outside hitter, Reghan Pukis, ranks first in the WCC in both attacks per set(11.77) and kills per set(4.36). Northern Colorado last met Portland in 2010 during the UniWyo Cowgirl Classic where the Bears swept the Pilots in an early season match. UNC will play Portland on Friday at 10 a.m mountain time.
Later on Friday, Northern Colorado will play UT-Arlington at 5:15 p.m to finish the double-header. UT-Arlington has also started the season well with a 5-1 record. The Mavericks were selected to finish third in the Sun Belt Western Division. The Bears will have to deal with a pair of All-Sun Belt preseason selections in outside hitter Qiana Canete and middle blocker Zhanelle Geathers. The two teams also previously faced off in the 2010 UniWyo Cowgirl Classic with the Bears also sweeping the Mavericks.
Northern Colorado concludes its Lobo Classic play with a match against tournament host, New Mexico. The Lobos started 4-2 on the season with a roster that has nine freshman. Although young, New Mexico has experienced starters including senior libero Ashley Kelsey and junior middle blockers Victoria Spragg and Maressa Carrasco. The Bears have not played the Lobos since 2007 where they lost 1-3 in Albuquerque.
With three matches this weekend, UNC has the opportunity to return home with an above .500 record.
Practice paying off
"The right side blockers and our pin blockers have been doing a really good job of being adamant about getting out to the line. Their setting an easy block for us to close to. We have been practicing a lot of diving back in on the cross court and just being a presence at the net. All the reps we have been doing on top of the pin blockers working really hard is helping us middles get some blocks."-Emily O'Neil, Middle Blocker
"Blocking is definitely a very hard skill in volleyball and watching it come together this weekend was one of the best feelings that you can get as a team. Going from getting maybe one or two blocks a game to seven or eight and its just a great outcome for us."-Taylor Muff, Outside Hitter
Players Mentioned
DS
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
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