California State University Northridge Athletics
California State University at Northridge
0-1,0-0Big West
Colorado
1-0,0-0Big 12
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CSUN | 19 | 18 | 21 | 0 |
| Colorado | 25 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
CSUN Drops Season Opener in Straight Sets at #23 Colorado
8/28/2026 6:50:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
BOULDER, Colo. - CSUNÂ Women's Volleyball opened its 2026 season Friday night with a three-set loss to No. 23 Colorado, falling 25-19, 25-18, 25-21 at the Buffs Classic at the CU Events Center.
The Matadors (0-1) battled through a competitive opening set and closed with their most efficient frame of the match, but the Buffaloes (1-0) used a stronger attacking night and timely service pressure to hold off CSUN in the season debut for both teams.
Senior Hailey Brockway led the Matadors with 11 kills (.128) and added 11 digs for her 13th career CSUN double-double. Fellow senior Tatiana Turgeon turned in an efficient performance with five kills on 10 swings without an attacking error to hit .500. Iye Okolo (.286) and Julia Bazylevych (-.077) each added five kills, while Audrey Nuckols and Annie Gilmore combined for five kills as each made her Matador debut.
Defensively, senior libero Paige Sentes paced the back row with 13 digs, while Brockway added 11. The Matadors also produced seven total team blocks, led by Turgeon's four block assists. Senior Jan Marie Duhaylungsod led CSUN with 13 assists, while Katie Kolar added eight.
The Matadors wound up hitting .103 (32-21-107) as a team, while the host Buffs connected at a .183 (37-17-109) clip.
HOW IT HAPPENED
CSUN got off to a slow start in the first set before finding a run midway through the frame. Kolar's service ace and back-to-back aces from Brockway helped the Matadors trim the deficit, and late kills from Gilmore and Bazylevych kept CSUN within striking distance before Colorado closed out the set, 25-19.
The Matadors continued to push in the second set, getting kills from Brockway, Nuckols, Turgeon, and Bazylevych, but Colorado created separation with its block and took the frame, 25-18.
CSUN's best offensive stretch came in the third set, when the Matadors hit .200 and totaled 14 kills. Brockway sparked the attack with seven kills in the set, including several early points that helped CSUN stay in rhythm. The Matadors cut Colorado's lead to 19-16 after consecutive blocks, then stayed close late with kills from Turgeon, Fallyn Blotzer and Brockway before the Buffaloes finished the sweep, 25-21.
Colorado was led by Ana Burilovic, who posted a match-high 14 kills while hitting .414 on a team-high 29 swings.
UP NEXT
CSUN continues play at the Buffs Classic on Saturday, taking on Denver (1-0) at 2 p.m. The match will stream live on ESPN+.
#GoMatadors
Â
