PROVO -- Two teams hungry for a win will face off this weekend as No. 4 BYU hosts No. 12 Hawai'i for a pair of weekend matches at the Smith Fieldhouse.
Both matches start at 7 p.m. (MST) with Friday evening's match to be televised live on BYU-TV and KBYU. Saturday evening's match can be viewed online through CSTV All-Access. Links are available at www.byucougars.com.
The Cougars (9-4, 5-3 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation) are looking to end a current four-match losing streak that started three weeks ago at home. The Warriors (3-9, 3-7 MPSF) are looking for their first road win of the season.
BYU is coming off a road trip in Southern California that saw the Cougars lose three matches in five days while losing starting setter Yamil Perez to injury for two of the three matches. The Cougars dropped from No. 1 to No. 4 after losing to now-No. 1 Pepperdine in a pair of weekend matches.
Both BYU and Hawai'i were ranked in the top-five in the preseason polls. The Warriors swept a pair of matches between the two teams last season in Honolulu.
"Hawai'i is potentially the best offensive team in the nation because of the speed of their offense," co-head coach Shawn Patchell said. "We need to serve well and pass well in order to beat them."
The Warriors have been playing without All-American Lauri Hakala who has been sitting out the last three matches with an abdominal strain. Hakala is expected to play this weekend.
"Hawai'i's record is misleading," Patchell said. "They are capable of beating anyone."