First stop on our weekend tour was the Air Force Academy in nearby Colorado Springs. This words on this mural (Integrity First, Service Before Self, Excellence In All We Do) on the wall of the cadet gym clearly shows the difference between athletics at a service academy and other colleges and universities.
In the first match of the evening, we got to see Arizona State (currently ranked in the top 10) from the PAC 12 soundly defeat Boston's Northeastern University. The PAC 12 is one of the stronger conferences in women's volleyball.
The next match was between Air Force and New Mexico State. A large crowd was on hand to cheer on the Falcons. In the photo below, the student section was on their feet as the Air Force team ran onto the floor.
During player introductions, "The Bird" led the crowd in cheers. Unfortunately, Air Force lost a hard fought match to New Mexico State.
The following day we headed north to Boulder, home of the University of Colorado, another PAC 12 school. Paul stood outside The Coors Event Center with a statue of the Colorado namesake--a buffalo.
Florida State easily defeated San Diego in the first match of the evening. In the second match, the University of Oklahoma squeaked by the host Buffs in a 5 set thriller. Chip, the Colorado mascot, signaled to the crowd to cheer on the lady Buffs.
We enjoyed watching eight teams during our 2-day volleyball adventure. However, not knowing much about any of the teams and players like we know Florida's team made it unusual in the fact we were not rooting for any particular team. We also noticed that neither arena was air conditioned, making for somewhat uncomfortable viewing compared to the O'Dome. While it was warm in Colorado in late August, the weather cools off quickly in the fall.
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