Wyoming Cowgirls Host Border War Rival CSU In Volleyball

The Uni-Wyo Sports Complex will be rocking tonight, as the Wyoming Cowgirls host the #7 Colorado State Rams in women's volleyball action.

Cowgirl head coach Chad Callihan says, "The girls know who we're playing, and they understand what a big game it is. I really think just from a mindset, you know, we just want to try to stay consistent... I think that if we let our emotions to run too high, that will have a negative impact on us as we play."

Callihan also said when it comes to the atmosphere tonight, they're fortunate to draw well quite often, so it won't be the first time the Uni-Wyo (Sports Complex) is packed this season.

Wyoming (13-4, 2-2) is coming off a weekend sweep of San Diego State and UNLV. They beat the Aztecs in four sets and swept the Rebels in three.

Callihan added, "I think we needed that. We'd been struggling a little bit, and I think it was just, mentally, kinda gettin' the best of us, so it was nice to see us get out and play a little better."

Colorado State (16-1, 4-0) also defeated those same two opponents last weekend. The Rams only blemish this season is a loss to fifth-ranked Wisconsin.

In scouting the opposition, Callihan admits CSU doesn't have a lot of weaknesses.

"I think the one thing that probably helps us, maybe over some years past, is... I think we are a little harder for them to key on as well, cause we do have so many pieces, right now, that are playing at a pretty high level."

He goes on to say in past years the Rams have been able to key on one or two players and take them out of the game.

Tonight's match features the top two hitting teams in the Mountain West in women's volleyball. The Rams are at .297, while the Cowgirls are at .294. It's also a match that has three of the top four hitters in the conference. UW's Laura Beach (.449) and Erin Kirby (.431) are one-two, while CSU's Kelsey Snider (.047) is fourth.

Callihan knows his squad will have to play at a high level to compete with the Rams.

"They (Colorado State) play the game very clean, very low error; so they're giving you no points basically; it just puts a lot of pressure on you to earn every point."

That's an area Callihan believes his team has improved on this year.

It's been three years since Wyoming defeated Colorado State in women's volleyball. Since then, the Rams have won six straight and only dropped one set to the Cowgirls.

The first edition of the volleyball Border War is tonight at 7 p.m.