No. 9 BYU defeats Texas Tech in five sets behind McEwan-Llarenas' 16 kills

No. 9 BYU women's volleyball defeated Texas Tech, 3-2 (25-21, 22-25, 25-7, 22-25, 15-12) in its first five-set match of the 2023 season, leading to a career night for multiple Cougars at the Smith Fieldhouse on Friday night.

No. 9 BYU women's volleyball celebrates a point during five-set win over Texas Tech on October 13, 2023No. 9 BYU women's volleyball celebrates a point during five-set win over Texas Tech on October 13, 2023
Box Score

PROVO, Utah — No. 9 BYU women's volleyball defeated Texas Tech, 3-2 (25-21, 22-25, 25-7, 22-25, 15-12) in its first five-set match of the 2023 season, leading to a career night for multiple Cougars at the Smith Fieldhouse on Friday night.

BOX SCORE

Middle Blocker Whitney McEwan-Llarenas collected new career highs of 17 kills and six digs, paired with two aces, tying a career high. Fellow middle blocker Mia Lee posted a career-high 11 blocks, the second-most by a freshman in the rally-scoring era at BYU.

Liberos Hannah Billeter and Brielle Miller each set new career highs in digs, Billeter with 18 and Miller with six. Setter Whitney Bower also grabbed a career-high with eight blocks. Both Bower and Lee added seven kills apiece.

The Cougars (15-3, 4-2 Big 12) hit .248 on the night to the Red Raiders' .110, and also out-blocked (15.5 to 11) and out-dug (70 to 59) Texas Tech for the match.

Mia Lee rises up for kill against Texas Tech on on October 13, 2023
Erin Livingston during BYU vs. Texas Tech match on October 13, 2023
Smith Fieldhouse during BYU vs. Texas Tech match on October 13, 2023

Set 1
McEwan-Llarenas led the Cougars as she tallied five kills, hitting .714 in the opening set. The Cougars had 13 kills, with Erin Livingston contributing three and Eden Bower with two. BYU maintained its lead through the set, and Eden Bower and Lee closing out the first with a double block, 25-21.

Set 2
The Cougars led by as many as six in the second before the Red Raiders took their first lead of the game at 10-9. BYU tied the set at 20-20, but Texas Tech would secure the set, 25-22.

Set 3
BYU took control quickly as it went on 4-0 run with multiple double blocks from Bower and McEwan-Llarenas. With her eighth kill on the night, McEwan-Llarenas brought the score to 18-5 before Texas Tech took its first timeout. The Cougars ran away with a 25-7 set win, holding Tech to -.114 hitting in the frame. Whitney and Eden Bower each tallied three kills in the set, with Livingston contributing two.

Set 4
Back-and-forth the majoroity of the set, the Red Raiders went on a six-point run to lead 23-19. The Cougars extended the set with two kills from Livingston and one by Eden Bower, but Texas Tech pulled out a 25-22 fourth set win to take BYU to its first fifth set of the season. 

Set 5
The seesaw continued in the final set as the Red Raiders matched each Cougar point. McEwan-Llarenas grabbed four kills in the set, with Livingston contributing three of her own.  A double block from Lee and Prior sealed the game, as BYU took the fifth and final frame, 15-12.

Up Next
The Cougars will face the Red Raiders again on Saturday, Oct. 14 in the Smith Fieldhouse at 7 p.m. MDT. The match will be streamed on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.