Road uniforms?

Pi'i Aiu might want to consider having the Colorado volleyball team wear them against Kansas on Wednesday for the Big 12 opener at the Coors Events Center.

The best start in the program's proud history has quickly turned into a nightmarish beginning to the home portion of the schedule.

The Buffs (6-3), after winning tournaments in Mississippi and Texas against lesser opponents, have now dropped three consecutive matches since returning to the not-so friendly confines after losing to North Carolina on Saturday in four games (25-17, 23-25, 25-21, 27-25).

CU opened its three-match invitational tournament with four-game losses to No. 21 Colorado State and No. 8 Florida.

"I don't know that we're doing anything physically poorly and we're fighting well. We're just mentally not there yet," Aiu said. "And we still have a ways to go. I think we know what we need to do, it's just a matter of doing it and doing it in big points and in big matches."

The Tar Heels (4-4) -- who were swept by CSU in Fort Collins on Friday night -- took advantage of a flat CU team and cruised to victory in the first game. The visitors reeled off six consecutive points and eight of nine to seize control at 8-2. Even after two timeouts by Aiu, the Buffs dug a 19-7 hole too deep to crawl out of.

CU had 12 kills and 11 errors (an attack percentage of .018) in the opening game compared to 13 kills and four errors (.237) for North Carolina.

"I think the mental aspect is what we're really missing. Little mental lapses are what are really killing us," sophomore middle blocker Schylur Edelman said after finishing with 12 kills and four blocks. "We need to learn how to stay mentally and physically strong throughout the entire match"

The Buffs bounced back by taking a very competitive game two only to get off to another wretched start in game three (trailed 4-0 and 11-6) and give the momentum back to North Carolina.

"I think everyone is a little discouraged," junior outside hitter Emilee Sisco said after smashing a team-high 16 kills. " But it's really good that we've gotten some better competition because the teams we were playing the two weeks before this are not anything like the teams we will face in conference. Even the worst teams in our conference are nothing like the teams we were facing. It was good for us to see that competition."

The Buffs predictably found themselves trailing big, 19-13, in game four. This time they were able to fight all the way back and took a 22-21 lead on a kill by Edelman.

"I felt like that was really encouraging, but the part that was unfortunate was that we were down six points to begin with," junior setter/hitter Kaitlyn Burkett said. "If we can start better that game would be ours. We just need to learn how to go from start to finish."

Alex Buth came up with a clutch kill to keep CU alive on match point and after a block by Lauren Schaefer the home team led 25-24.

And then the Tar Heels calmly closed the match out with the next three points. On the road.

"I hope we can get them there because they deserve it. They're working hard and doing some nice things," Aiu said. "It's just when it comes down to the big points we don't have people making big plays for us. ...

"Maybe I'll call Kansas and see if they'll have us there."

For now, Wednesday's match against the Jayhawks is scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m. at the Coors Events Center.