Courtesy of American University Athletic Communications

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The American University volleyball team was defeated by fifth-seeded and 24th-ranked Colorado on Thursday afternoon in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, bringing AU's season to an end. The Eagles finish the historic year with a 24-5 record. 

Notable

• Salme Adeele Hollas ended the match with 10 kills, while Carly Sciborski had seven and hit .333.
• Sophie Dufour also had seven kills and added eight digs. 
• Deniz Dakak had 23 assists, six digs, and three blocks. The sophomore setter ends her season with 1,028 assists.
• The 2025 Eagles are the youngest team in program history to have reached the NCAA Tournament, with three freshmen, seven sophomores, three juniors, and no seniors. They are the 19th AU team to qualify for the tournament. 

How it Happened 

• Colorado got out to a 10-3 lead in the first set, forcing a timeout from Ahen Kim. 
• The Eagles were outscored just 15-13 the rest of the way, but a stronger back half of the set wasn't enough. CU won it 25-16.  
• The Buffaloes controlled the ball well, bodying a number of swings from AU and hit .364 in the first frame. 
• AU had a 5-4 lead through the first nine points of the second set, but CU powered through with a 13-2 run to pull away for a second time. 
• Down 24-15, the Eagles went on a 4-0 run for their best sequence of play. Dufour had two kills and Dakak a block, but a kill from Ana Burilovi ended the frame at 25-19. 
• Colorado led 6-0 in the beginning of the third set and never looked back. The Buffaloes won it 25-16.