Defense propels Colorado State to Rams Classic title

There were plenty of question marks around the CSU volleyball team as the season began.

Defense wasn't one of the unknowns.

Tom Hilbert said his team would be very good defensively and would serve-receive very well.

Those proved true all weekend but especially in Sunday's 3-0 sweep of Marquette to go 3-0 and win the Rams Volleyball Classic.

No. 18 Colorado State University held Marquette to a .101 hitting percentage for the match, including .000 in the first set and .079 in the second on the way to a 25-15, 25-20, 25-16 win.

The most impressive work was done on Autumn Bailey, the Big East's preseason Player of the Year.

The Marquette (2-1) sophomore had just seven kills on 33 attacks. She finished the match with a -.030 hitting percentage and was frustrated early in the match.

"Deedra (Foss) was on her two or three times and got a lot of blocks," Hilbert said. "We did a nice job blocking her. She's a good athlete and a good hitter. I thought fundamentally and technically we did a good job."

It wasn't only Sunday's match where the defense shined. On Saturday, CSU held VCU to a .062 hitting percentage and the University of California-Santa Barbara to .126 while significantly out-blocking their opponents in all three matches.

"This is the best defense we've had in as long as I can remember, even watching games," said libero Jaime Colaizzi, a Windsor High School graduate who grew up attending CSU matches. "We just have so much experience along our back line. It's going to be a good year. I think we'll be able to compete with a lot of big teams."

The offense is still a work in progress as Hilbert tries to find the best combinations, but it performed well Sunday with Foss setting up all available weapons.

Five players had 17 or more attacks, with Kelsey Snider getting the most at 20 as the Marquette defense was unable to key in on any individual.

"It really helps, especially as a pin player, because the blockers don't set up on one person," said Dri Culbert, who finished with eight kills. "It allows us to have a lot of one-on-one situations."

Marlee Reynolds led the team with nine kills, Snider and Culbert had eight, and Jasmine Hanna had seven.

Marquette is receiving votes in the top 25 poll, made the NCAA tournament last year and finished 11th in the nation in RPI.

"I consider this to be a very good win for us," Hilbert said.

Tournament awards

Snider, a middle blocker, was named the tournament MVP after recording 27 kills in three matches. Foss and Colaizzi joiner Snider on the all-tournament team as CSU won its seventh-straight home tournament title, sweeping all three opponents.

Also earning all-tournament honors were VCU's Cecilia Aragao and Marquette's Meghan Niemann and Lindsey Gosh.

Follow sports reporter Kevin Lytle at twitter.com/Kevin_Lytle and at facebook.com/KevinSLytle.

CSU 3, MARQUETTE 0

Next up: CSU at Northern Colorado, 7 p.m. Wednesday

Radio: 90.5 KCSU