No. 16 Cougars beat Wolverines in four sets, finish non-conference play 12-0

OREM, Utah — Claire Little Chambers finished with a career-high 25 kills as No. 16 BYU women’s volleyball picked up a four-set win at Utah Valley (25-19, 23-25, 25-21, 26-24) at the UCCU Center on Saturday afternoon.

BOX SCORE

With an opening set victory, the Cougars (12-0, 0-0 Big 12) tied the eight-longest streak of consecutive sets won in rally-scoring era program history with 20 in a row, also done in 2014 and 2001.

BYU will enter Big 12 play next week undefeated, extending its season-opening streak to 12 wins, which is good for the fifth-best start in program history.

The Cougars hit .192 in the match to the Wolverines’ .131, recording 10 more kills than UVU. Despite being out-blocked by Utah Valley, 17 to 14, BYU had four more digs and one less service error. Both teams had five aces.

Little Chambers’ career match came on a .271 clip. She finished two digs shy of a double-double and also tied her career high with five blocks. Abby Hoybjerg set a career her of her own with seven stuffs.

Suli Davis joined Little Chambers in double figures with 12 kills, while Alex Bower dished out 47 assists and Emma Barbero posted 20 digs, both match highs.

Set 1
BYU found itself in a hole early and took its first timeout after a pair of 3-0 runs by Utah Valley made it 13-9. The Cougars tied things up at 13 with a 4-0 run, highlighted by two Brielle Kemavor-Bower double blocks.

A Hoybjerg-Little Chambers double block, Barbero ace and two Little Chambers kills capped off a 5-0 BYU run that spanned a UVU timeout and put the Cougars in front, 20-16.

The Wolverines took their second timeout at 23-18, and BYU closed the set on a 3-1 run, with kills by Little Chambers and Sophia Callahan finishing off the first set, 25-19.

Set 2
The Cougars raced out to an early 4-0 lead on a Bower-Kemavor double block and Elli Mortensen ace. Little Chambers and Hoybjerg combined for another block as BYU doubled up UVU, 12-6.

Utah Valley fought back to draw within two at 14-12, but a Little Chambers kill put the Cougars up three at the media timeout. The Wolverines took five of the next seven points, including a 3-0 run, and BYU took a timeout at 17-17.

Three kills by Davis paced the Cougars to a 22-20 lead, but BYU called its second timeout with the set tied at 22. UVU took the final three points of the set to even the match at one set apiece, 25-23.

Set 3
Trading points early on, a 7-0 BYU run that featured four blocks involving Hoybjerg and forced both of Utah Valley’s timeouts had the Cougars leading 15-9.

A 3-0 Wolverine span had UVU within two at 17-15, and BYU called its first timeout. Kemavor then went on a 3-0 run of her own with two kills and a solo stuff, pushing the Cougars to a 20-15 advantage.

BYU weathered another 3-0 Utah Valley stretch before three kills by Little Chambers down the stretch wrapped things up, 25-21, putting the Cougars in front, 2-1.

Set 4
Going back-and-forth once more, BYU answered a 4-0 UVU run with a 3-0 span of its own that included a Kemavor-Elli Mortensen double block to tie the set at 10, but the Wolverines led 15-13 at the media timeout.

Reeling off six-straight that spanned a Utah Valley timeout, the Cougars saw  two Hannah Billeter aces as well as a Mortensen-Kemavor-Callahan triple block as they got back in front, 19-15.

Three straight by UVU forced BYU to take a timeout ahead by one, and it remained in front until a tie at 22 when it called its second timeout. After a Little Chambers kill, Wolverine errors gave BYU two match points, which Kemavor and Mortensen closed out on a double block, 26-24.

Up Next
BYU will open up Big 12 play next week, hosting Colorado and Iowa State. The Cougars and Buffaloes are set for a 6 p.m. MDT first serve on Thursday, Sept. 25 on ESPN+.