Mortensen pushes No. 24 BYU to four-set win at FGCU

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Outside hitter Elli Mortensen’s 14 kills helped No. 24 BYU women’s volleyball to a 3-1 win over Florida Gulf Coast (25-17, 23-25, 25-15, 25-21) at Alico Arena on Saturday night.

BOX SCORE

The Cougars (2-0, 0-0 Big 12) received double-digit kills from both Mortensen and Sophia Callahan, who finished with 10 kills on a .300 hitting percentage. Mortensen finished one dig shy of a double-double in her first match with double-digit kills since 2024 and tied her career high with four service aces.

Setters Alex Bower and Kaylie Kofe each tallied 24 assists, spreading the offense around once more as six hitters recorded seven or more kills in the contest, including Kelli Jo Burgess, who had nine kills and a match-high eight blocks.

BYU posted double-digit blocks for the second consecutive game, tallying 13 on the night, the Cougars’ most since recording 14.5 at Utah Valley last season. They had nine double-digit block contests in 2025.

Set 1
BYU raced out to a 7-3 lead, forcing an early FGCU timeout following a pair of 3-0 runs and a 6-1 Cougar run. Five kills from Mortensen and two double blocks involving the outside hitter paced BYU to a 15-9 advantage at the technical timeout.

After weathering a 3-0 Eagle run out of the break, the Cougars reset on Bower’s second ace of the set before a Brooke Hardy-Callahan double block put BYU up by seven. Hardy and Kate Prior combined for a block of their own, one of six in the opening frame, to close out the first set, 25-17.

Set 2
Two 3-0 runs, capped by a Mortensen ace, forced a Florida Gulf Coast timeout at 11-7. Prior and Burgess teamed up for a double block, the Cougars’ eighth of the match, pushing BYU to a 15-9 cushion at the technical timeout.

Trading points from there, a Callahan kill and three FGCU errors made it 19-13 Cougars, forcing an Eagle timeout. Florida Gulf Coast scored five straight points, spanning a BYU timeout, and after a 7-1 run, had the set tied at 20.

The Cougars took their second timeout trailing 23-21 and tied the set at 23 on a quick hitter by Burgess, but the Eagles closed the frame on a 12-4 run to take it, 25-23.

Set 3
Tied at five in the early going, kills by Mortensen and Claire Little Chambers fueled two 3-0 runs as BYU forced an FGCU timeout at 10-6. Mortensen’s fourth ace, a Cougar triple block and a solo block by Burgess then made it 15-7.

BYU scored twice more to extend the run to 6-0, going in front by 10 at 17-7. Callahan, Burgess, Mortensen and Hardy fueled the Cougars down the stretch as they took the set on an Eagle service error, 25-15.

Set 4
Both teams traded runs to start the fourth, with Little Chambers taking part in two double blocks, Hardy serving an ace and Burgess adding two kills to keep BYU in front, 10-7.

FGCU took the lead during a 5-1 run, which Prior quickly stopped with a kill on the right side, but the Cougars took a 15-13 deficit into the technical timeout.

A 3-0 scoring run by Callahan helped BYU retake the lead, which it would not relinquish for the remainder of the match. Mortensen hammered home a long-rally ball, forcing an Eagle timeout with the Cougars leading 19-17.

Hardy and Little Chambers caused FGCU’s second timeout at 22-19 before Little Chambers and Burgess wrapped things up with three kills, giving BYU the 25-21 set victory.

Up Next
The Cougars will return home and welcome both Eastern Illinois and No. 4 Pittsburgh to the Smith Fieldhouse for matches on consecutive nights next week.