Cowgirls to host No. 16 CSU

Richard Anderson photo
Wyoming head coach Carrie Yerty, center, talks to assistant coach Jill Stucky during a timeout in a recent home match.

By Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org

She's said it before, she’ll say it again.

“We’re the team that everybody thinks they should beat, but aren’t sure if they can,” Wyoming head volleyball coach Carrie Yerty said, describing her team. “Depending on what level of ability we are able to sustain, we can be a very good team.”

With that, the Cowgirls have another shot at No. 16 Colorado State, as they host their rival Friday at 7 p.m. in the UniWyo Sports Complex.

The last time the two teams met, CSU just survived in a five-set match. The Rams admitted afterwards that they didn’t expect Wyoming to be so feisty.

Their overall won-loss record doesn’t show bulldog intensity, but the Cowgirls are all of that. In their 3-14 overall record, Wyoming has lost five five-set matches, with several to highly-ranked or highly-regarded teams.

“The wins aren’t exactly as planned or what we would like in terms of being with a group of young women who are competing hard, but they are a pleasure to be around,” Yerty said. “They’re coachable and they are giving me every bit of their best. Now my job is to help them continue to grow and continue to recruit and build this program back into the powerhouse that it was.”

Yerty came to Wyoming after 12 years at Memphis and inherited a Wyoming team that lost about 90 percent of its offense, in terms of attacks. With a young, inexperienced and often over-matched lineup physically, Yerty admits that she didn’t know what to expect coming in.

“I would never put limitations on a team because you never know what their capabilities are going to be, day-in and day-out,” she said. “I expected that we would have a transition year; I expected that we would have a lot of focus on recruiting and teaching in the gym, establishing new expectations and building our language and our volleyball IQ. In terms of wins and losses, I expect to win every time we step out on the floor and my team does, too. How we handle the adversity once we get out on the floor, we’re working at getting better at.”

The Rams enter the week 17-2 overall, 7-1 in the MWC. They are led by Jaime Strauss, who is averaging 3.51 kills and 1.68 digs per set, while Mekana Barnes is adding 3.22 kills and 1.39 blocks per set.

“Colorado State is a good team,” Yerty said. “They have two All-Americans returning. In terms of being a veteran team, they are very good. Our team generally steps up to the challenge of playing a good team and we’re hard to beat at home.”

The Cowgirls are led by sophomore rightside hitter Dani Bedore, who is averaging 3.06 kills, which is sixth in the MWC, and 1.59 digs per set. She is followed sophomore outside hitter Lauren Whitney, who is adding 2.76 kills and almost one dig per set. As a team, they are averaging 9.40 kills and 9.21 digs per set.

Friday night’s match will also be Yerty’s second experience in the Border War. She said he is enjoying the intensity of the rivalry.

“Our girls are all fired up. They have a whole bunch of different slogans ready,” she said. “They are excited for the CSU match, they’re excited to be back at home. We are able to focus on one team, with only having the match against CSU.”

UW swimmers in Gillette for duals
For the first time ever, the Wyoming swimming and diving team will host a meet away from Corbet Pool this weekend. The Cowboys and Cowgirls will travel to Gillette for dual match-ups with North Dakota, South Dakota and South Dakota State.

Action will be at the Campbell County High School Pool. The two-day meet will begin on Friday at 5 p.m., and will continue Saturday at 11 a.m.

The meet was set up to allow fans from Northern Wyoming and the Dakotas a chance to see their teams compete without traveling far.

"We are very excited to go to the north part of the state and expose our program there," said UW head coach Tom Johnson. "The community of Gillette and their tremendous hospitality will make it feel like its a home meet for us. There are swimmers from Wyoming that are going to the Dakota schools and I’m sure they are excited to come home and swim in front of their parents."