PROVO, Utah – Senior middle blocker Kennedy Eschenberg and sophomore opposite Kate Grimmer combined for 26 kills as No. 16 BYU defeated No. 21 San Diego in straight sets (25-19, 25-21, 25-17) at the Smith Fieldhouse on Saturday.
Eschenberg totaled a season-high 12 kills on an errorless .632 clip and led the team with a season-high eight blocks, including two solo blocks. Grimmer also had an efficient day on offense, leading the team with 14 kills and ending the match with a .600 hitting percentage.
Sophomore setter Whitney Bower guided the Cougars to a .353 hitting percentage while tallying 36 assists, six digs, three blocks and a pair of aces.
BYU (12-1, 11-1 WCC) held San Diego (11-3, 11-3 WCC) to a season-low .130 hitting percentage while outblocking the Toreros 12-4.
Completing the season sweep over the Toreros, the Cougars remain in the hunt for the West Coast Conference title with four matches remaining. BYU is currently second in the conference standings with a .917 league win percentage, trailing Pepperdine (.929 WCC win percentage).
SET ONE
Four service errors hampered the Cougars in the tightly contested opening moments of the first set. Timely blocks from Eschenberg, freshman outside hitter Erin Livingston and senior outside hitter Taylen Ballard-Nixon catapulted BYU into a firm lead as the Cougars ended the game a 10-3 run to take the first set 25-19.
SET TWO
Three aces, including two from Bower, powered a 10-4 run to give BYU an 18-11 advantage in the second game. The Toreros rallied late in the set to cut BYU’s lead to three points, 23-20. A block by Grimmer and freshman middle blocker Leilani Dodson ended a long rally and Dodson ended the set with a kill, 25-21.
SET THREE
Consecutive solo blocks by Eschenberg and three kills by Grimmer fueled an 8-1 run to start the third game. The Cougars remained in control with Eschenberg connecting on three kills to help increase their lead to 20-8. San Diego used a 5-0 run to extend the match before a Ballard-Nixon kill secured the set, 25-17, and sweep for BYU.
The Cougars will next face Saint Mary's March 26-27 at the University Credit Union Pavilion in Moraga, California. Both matches will be broadcast on the WCC Network.