Colorado State Comes From Behind To Defeat Utah At Mountain West Conference Volleyball Championship

Rams win final two games to advance to tournament final.

Summer Jennings had 17 kills and 10 blocks as the Rams defeated the Utah Utes.
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Nov. 26, 1999

PROVO, Utah (Nov. 26, 1999) -- With a dramatic come-from-behind win, Colorado State defeated Utah 3-2 (15-3, 10-15, 10-15, 15-13, 17-15) today in the semifinals of the Mountain West Conference Volleyball Championship at the Smith Fieldhouse in Provo, Utah.

After falling behind two games to one and being two points away from elimination (13-7), the Rams came back to take game four 15-13. That led to the dramatic 17-15 finish in the rally-scored fifth game to give CSU the win and put it in the finals against the winner of the BYU-New Mexico match played later tonight.

The Rams were again led by their trio of All-Mountain West Conference players. First Team members Angela Knopf and Catie Vagneur led the team with 19 kills apiece while Second Team member Courtney Cox finished with 18. Knopf, a sophomore middle blocker, was the real story for Colorado State as she added 7 blocks and nine digs to her 19 kills and .400 hitting percentage.

Vagneur finished the night with a double-double, adding 13 digs to her 19 kills. Summer Jennings notched 17 kills and 10 blocks. Second Team All-Mountain West Conference setter Allison Peckham finished with 65 assists to go along with 13 digs and 5 blocks.

The play of sophomore outside hitter Adrianne Bradley kept the Utes close throughout the match. Bradley led all hitters with a career-high 23 kills on .432 hitting while matching Vagneur and Peckham with 13 digs. Lenka Urbanova saw her first action on the leftside for the Utes and collected a career-high 15 kills and 10 digs.

The Rams will next play Saturday in the finals of the Mountain West Conference Volleyball Championship. The match will be at 4 p.m.

Quote Sheet

Utah Coach Beth Launiere:
" The biggest thing is, I'm really, really proud of this team. It would have been very easy for us to come out and not play hard. We wanted to have a shot at Colorado State again and knew if we got past the first round, we probably would. We accomplished our goals and put ourselves in position to win this match, but came up a little short."

"We were able to carry out our game plan, which was significant for this team. We came up a little short, but played very hard. CSU got tough at the net near the ned. They just really stepped it up. I just think they're a little better than us in some key positions."

"Adrianne (Bradley) came up big for us tonight. She had 23 kills and I think only had three kills over the last two matches. She played really hard."

"At the beginning of the season we had eight newcomers in the gym. We've put together a 21-win season and I couldn't ask for a better group of kids."

"When I put this schedule together before the season, I figured if we could get 20 wins, we would have a good shot at making the NCAA Tournament. I feel like we're in, but you never know until you're in. I feel like we have a good team and deserve to be in there."

Utah Outside Hitter Adrianne Bradley:
"It wasn't a lack of effort. It seems like they were just one step ahead of us. I don't think we let down at all. They just fired it up and came up with a couple more points."

Colorado State Coach Tom Hilbert:
"This was a very courageous match for our players. Our problems revolved around poor passing. When our outside hitters started killing balls at the end of the fourth and in the fifth game, that was the key for us - especially in game five."

"I think our players rise to the occasion. We played one of our best games of the year in the first game, but one fault we have is when we play well then we think it will come automaticllay then we let up."

"Utah is a very good team. I think they should be nationally ranked. If they don't make the NCAA Tournament, I would be very surprised."

Colorado State Middle Blocker Summer Jennings:
About fourth game comeback: "I looked at everybody and said, 'We need to pick this up.' We believed in ourselves and started to click."

Colorado State Outside Hitter Catie Vagneur:
"It was frustrating because everything was going Utah's way. We felt like we could turn it around. And right now, I'm so pumped up, I don't feel tired."

About playing in the championship match: "That is what we came for, to play in the championship match."

Colorado State Setter Allison Peckham:
"Our passing broke down in games three and four. But when our outside started killing balls in the fourth game, I felt like I could set to anyone."