Set 1
The Cougars and Bearcats were tied at six points apiece before Cincinnati notched three kills and went up 11-7 to force BYU to call its first timeout of the game.
Out of the timeout, the Bearcats maintained their four-point lead at 16-12 before an attacking error brought the Cougars within three at the media timeout.
Strong recorded two kills down the middle and Kemavor a block to bring the Cougars within one, down 20-19. A Kate Prior block tied the set up at 21 and Cincinnati called timeout.
A Prior kill gave BYU its first lead of the set and the Cougars scored three of the next five points to win set one 25-23. BYU ended the set on an 8-3 run.
Little paced BYU in the first frame with six kills on a .429 clip. Mortensen, Strong and Kemavor each added three, respectively.
Set 2
Little tallied three kills in BYU’s opening six points to give the Cougars an early one-point lead. Cincinnati scored eight of the next 11 points, and BYU called timeout down 13-9.
Out of the break, the Bearcats increased their lead to six before the Cougars called their second timeout of the set, down 18-12.
Little recorded back-to-back kills to bring the score within three points. A Bower service ace and a Kamavor kill increased BYU’s scoring run to 5-0 and the Cougars got within one point at 18-17 before the Bearcats answered with a kill. Cincinnati went on to score seven of the next nine points to win set two.
Set 3
Little, Kamavor, Prior and Mortensen each tallied a kill in the opening points to give the Cougars an early 6-3 lead. Hannah Billeter served an ace and Strong teamed up with Bower for a block to force the Bearcats to call a timeout down 10-6.
The teams traded several points before a BYU service error and a Bearcat block pulled Cincinnati within one point at 20-19 and the Cougars called timeout.
The Bearcats scored five-straight points off of two kills, two service aces and a block to take the third set 25-23.
BYU was ahead by three points seven separate times in the set, but Cincinnati came back every time, including being down 23-20 and ending the set on a 5-0 run.
Set 4
The Bearcats earned an early 4-2 lead before the Cougars scored four-straight to put themselves ahead 6-4 and never looked back, not trailing for the remainder of the set. BYU extended its lead to four on a Mia Lee kill ahead of the media timeout. The Cougars led 16-11.
Lee scored on another kill and then joined with Bower for a block to extend BYU’s lead to six and force the Bearcats to use their first timeout of the set.
Macy Short earned a service ace and Lee another kill before Cincinnati called its second timeout of the set, behind 19-12.
BYU finished the set on a 6-2 run, capped off by a Prior and Kamavor block. The Cougars won 25-17 to force a fifth set.
Set 5
The Bearcats scored the first two points of the set on back-to-back kills. BYU then scored the next three points to take the lead on a Little kill. The score was knotted at three apiece before Kemavor and Bower paired up for a block to end the game’s longest rally and regain the lead at 4-3.
BYU reached eight points first on a Little kill from the back row. The teams switched sides as the Cougars led 8-6. The Bearcats scored two in a row to come within one point and BYU called timeout ahead 11-10.
Cincinnati scored two more to knot the game at 12 and the Cougars used their second timeout of the set. Three-straight points by the Bearcats earned them the victory, 15-12.
Up Next
BYU will host West Virginia on Saturday, Nov. 23 in its final home game of Big 12 Conference play. The Cougars and Mountaineers are set to face off at 1 p.m. MST with streaming on ESPN+.
