PROVO, Utah — Claire Little Chambers and Suli Davis combined for 25 kills as No. 18 BYU women’s volleyball swept Incarnate Word to wrap up the BYU Nike Invitational at the Smith Fieldhouse on Saturday night.
The Cougars (6-0, 0-0 Big 12) out-hit UIW .256 to .148, posting 50 kills to the Cardinals’ 33. Efficient offense and strong serving, highlighted by Claire Little Chambers’ 14 kills and Alex Bower’s 39 assists, fueled the sweep. Brielle Kemavor added nine kills, while Mia Lee had seven on a .700 clip.
Emma Barbero finished with a match-high 18 digs. Little Chambers contributed nine, with Davis and Bower pitching in eight apiece. Lee posted four total blocks. Davis, Kemavor and Bower had two.
Set 1
BYU opened with a kill from Little Chambers, but the Cardinals answered with a 3-0 run to grab the early lead. The teams traded points to a 5-5 tie before Little Chambers and Sophia Callahan steadied the Cougar attack. Kemavor and Davis added key kills as BYU edged ahead at 15-14.
Out of a timeout, Davis delivered back-to-back kills, and Bower followed with one of her own to widen the gap. A service ace from Lee pushed the lead to 21-17 and forced a Cardinal timeout. UIW clawed back to even the score at 22, but the Cougars held firm and closed out the set, 25-23.
Set 2
BYU stumbled out of the gate, allowing UIW to open the set with a 4-1 run. The Cougars quickly regained their footing, with a kill from Little Chambers sparking a 3-0 run to tie the score at 9-9 and force a Cardinals timeout.
Callahan added a timely kill, and a double block from Davis and Lee helped BYU launch a decisive 4-0 run, taking a 13-11 lead. The Cougars then went on a 5-0 streak, stretching the advantage to 18-12 and putting the match firmly in their control.
BYU maintained momentum through the final points, with key contributions from Davis, Lee, and Abby Hoybjerg, who recorded her first-career kills, closing out the set 25-15.
Set 3
The set opened with both teams trading points early, locked at 6-6. BYU responded to a brief deficit with a 3-0 run, sparked by Little Chambers, to tie the score at 9-9 and force a timeout. The Cougars and Cardinals remained in a tight battle throughout the set, with Kemavor and Bower delivering key kills to keep BYU in contention.
Tied again at 16-16, BYU began to inch ahead, relying on precise attacking from Little Chambers and Bower. A clutch kill from Little Chambers gave the Cougars a 23-22 lead, and they held strong in the final points to secure the set 25-23, completing the sweep.
Up Next
The Cougars hit the road next week to face No. 22 USC as part of the LMU Invitational on Thursday, Sept. 11 at 7 p.m. MDT. The match will not be streamed, but live stats will be available.