3A girls volleyball: University wins first state title in program history

COLORADO SPRINGS — After a midseason stretch in which the University girls volleyball team lost two of three matches, coach Jared Rudiger, his coaching staff and his 14-player roster decided to be real with each other.

No more holding back words. No more holding back actions.

They were fully focused on keeping it real 24/7, no exceptions.

On Saturday, what sat before the Bulldogs was as real as can be, even though it was something they had daydreamed about for all too long.

It was the state championship trophy. The first in program history.

University used its real-as-can-be, no-nonsense, detail-driven approach to dominant previously unbeaten Lamar, 3-1, in the finals of the Class 3A state tournament in front of thousands of fans at The Broadmoor World Arena.

“Trust, and we were real with one another,” Rudiger said, detailing the key components that carried University to 11 consecutive wins, culminating with Saturday’s title victory.

“I’ve been able to be real with them, as human beings. They’re real with me. They’re real with each other. There is no faking. You can be yourself around us. And, once you decide to be real with one another, be honest with teammates, the sky is the limit.”

And, the pinnacle of an uber-competitive 3A classification is also the limit.

After a 3-0 semifinals win over Sterling a few hours earlier, University dropped the first set in the title match, 25-21, but quickly assumed control from there.

The Bulldogs won the final three sets, 25-22, 25-17, 25-17.

Lamar’s loss in the finals was its only loss of the season. The Savages capped their season at 28-1, falling just short of their first state title in program history.

The Bulldogs wrapped up their historic season with a 25-4 record. 

At one point, just about three weeks ago — though it may now seem like an eternity ago — University was 14-4.

After a 3-1 loss to Liberty Common on Oct. 21, the Bulldogs had dropped two of three matches and may have been flying well under the radar as a legitimate threat to win the 3A championship.

But, as Rudiger alluded, following some difficult but necessary conversations within the team, University stopped sugar-coating things and steadily rose to a bonafide champion level.

“This is just a surreal moment,” Bulldogs senior middle blocker Aesha Alrashed said moments after the championship victory.

“But we’ve worked extremely hard the entire season, and we were meant to be here. … We earned this trophy.”

Alrashed finished the title match with team-highs of 16 kills and seven blocks. But perhaps her most memorable contribution was in the final point of the match.

She lined up at the service line, aggressively fired toward Lamar’s side of the court and watched the ball trickle over the net and land on the hardwood for the match-clinching ace.

The celebration commenced instantly, as the Bulldogs, their coaches and their legions of fans soaked in the feeling of finally winning that first girls volleyball title.

“Now it’s a matter of how many more (University) is going to get after this,” said senior outside hitter Chloe Ruhl, who had 11 kills and 15 digs. “We have such a strong freshman group coming in, as well as our juniors, who carry half the team. It’s not over. This is only the beginning.”