Set 1
After Colorado scored the opening point of the match, BYU reeled off seven-straight, including a Strong solo stuff, and kills from Mortensen, Strong, and Alex Bower.
Two Little kills and a Kemavor-Prior double block paced the Cougars before a Macy Short ace and quick hitter from Kemavor had BYU in front by 10, forcing a Colorado timeout at 18-8.
The Cougars weathered a 4-0 Buffalo run and called their first timeout leading by six. From there, BYU would close the set on a 7-2 run, including the final five points of the frame, to win it 25-13.
Set 2
Trailing 2-0 early, the Cougars rallied to take a 6-3 lead on kills from Strong, Little and Kemavor. The two teams traded points from there before a 3-0 run put BYU in front 15-10, forcing a Colorado timeout.
Both teams then went on two separate 3-0 runs each, with the Buffaloes taking a timeout amidst the Cougars’ second three-point span. Kills by Little and Kemavor closed out the second set for BYU, 25-19.
Set 3
The Cougars, trailing to start their third-consecutive set, faced a 5-2 deficit before a Kemavor-Bower double block ignited a 3-0 BYU run that tied the set at five.
Scoring six-straight, with Little, Kemavor and Prior all getting in on double blocks, and Little landing two aces to cap off a 9-1 span, the Cougars went up by five, at 11-6.
Colorado responded with a 4-0 run to come within one, forcing a BYU timeout. The Buffaloes took seven of the next 10 points to go in front 17-14, and the Cougars took their second timeout.
BYU answered back with a 5-0 run, spanning Colorado’s second timeout, to tie the set at 19, but the Buffaloes took six of the final 10 points to force a fourth set, 25-22.
Set 4
Trading points to start the fourth, Addie Benson and Kemavor, securing a double-double and a career-high in kills, fueled a 3-0 Cougar run that Colorado answered with five straight, spanning a BYU timeout, to lead 14-11.
Four in a row, including two Mortensen kills and a Blaykli Bobik-Strong double block, put the Cougars back in front at 15-14. The Buffaloes took four on the next five, however, and BYU took a timeout trailing 18-16.
Benson and Mortensen kills made way for a Kemavor-Prior double block that tied the set at 20, before Colorado took a 22-20 lead. A 3-0 Cougar run and 4-1 span gave BYU match point and forced Colorado timeout.
After a Mortensen attack was dug by the Buffaloes but got stuck in the overhead video board for an official’s deemed replay, Strong closed out the match with a kill into the middle, 25-23.
