PROVO, Utah — Sophia Callahan recorded a career-high 13 kills and Mia Lee added a career-best four aces to lead No. 18 BYU women's volleyball to a 3-1 (25-19, 25-17, 21-25, 25-11) victory over Wichita State at the BYU Nike Invitational on Friday night in the Smith Fieldhouse.
The Cougars (5-0, 0-0 Big 12) out-hit Wichita State .299 to .160, posting 53 kills to the Shockers’ 45 while keeping attack errors to just 18. Efficient offense and strong serving, highlighted by Callahan’s 13 kills (.565 hitting) and Claire Little Chambers’ 14 kills, fueled BYU’s commanding performance.
Suli Davis joined Callahan and Little Chambers in double figures, tallying 12 kills. She was a dig shy of her first-career double-double, finishing with nine. Little Chambers, Alex Bower and Emma Barbero each had seven digs apiece.
Set 1
BYU struck first as Bower opened the match with a service ace. The Cougars quickly found rhythm offensively with kills from Callahan, Lee, and Davis to stay in front. A 4-0 run fueled by back-to-back kills and a block pushed BYU to a 12-7 advantage. Elli Mortensen added a kill and an ace, while Lee followed with three-straight service aces as the Cougars dominated from the line to extend their lead to 17-8.
Wichita State responded with a 6-0 run late in the set to cut the deficit to 20-16, but BYU steadied itself and relied on consistent attacking and serving to close out the opener, 25-19. The Cougars recorded six aces compared to the Shockers' one, showing early dominance at the net and from the service line.
Set 2
BYU opened the second set with a kill from Brielle Kemavor, setting an early tone. The teams exchanged points in a back-and-forth battle that tied the score at five. Bower then ignited a 4-0 run for the Cougars, giving BYU a 10-7 advantage.
Wichita State responded with a 3-0 run to close the gap to 11-10, forcing BYU to regroup. The Cougars answered with steady serving and precise attacks, maintaining a slim lead through the middle portion of the set. Davis contributed a service ace to extend the lead, while kills from Little Chambers and Callahan helped BYU stay ahead.
The Cougars then put together a 4-0 run, forcing a Wichita State timeout with the score at 19-15. Barbero added a pair of aces, and BYU continued to capitalize on errors by the Shockers, stretching the lead to match point at 24-17. A final kill from Davis sealed the set, 25-17, giving BYU a 2-0 match advantage.
Set 3
The third set started tight, with the teams exchanging points to a 5-5 tie. BYU then went on a 4-0 run, forcing a Wichita State timeout and taking a 9-5 lead. Lee contributed an ace during the run, and Little Chambers added two kills. The Shockers responded with a strong rally of their own, posting a 4-0 run that gave them a 15-13 lead and prompted a BYU timeout.
Wichita State continued its momentum, putting together a 6-0 run to extend their lead to 23-17. BYU tried to mount a comeback, closing the gap to 24-21, but Wichita State sealed the set with a final kill, taking the third 25-21 and moving the match to 2-1, Cougars.
Set 4
BYU came out strong in the fourth set, opening with a 3-0 run to take an early 4-1 lead. The Cougars extended their advantage with another 3-0 run, prompting a Wichita State timeout at 8-3.
The momentum continued in BYU’s favor with a dominant 6-0 run, highlighted by a kill from Barbero, bringing the score to 14-4 and forcing another Shocker timeout. Wichita State attempted to respond with a 3-0 run, but BYU maintained control with a subsequent 3-0 run to push the lead to 19-8.
Claire Little Chambers added an ace to solidify the set, and BYU closed it out decisively with a final score of 25-11, securing the victory.
Up Next
The Cougars conclude the BYU Nike Invitational against Incarnate Word on Saturday, September 6 at 6 p.m. MDT. The match will be streamed on ESPN+.