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Sydney Zenger | Posted: 1 Dec 2018 | Updated: 24 Dec 2020
Sydney Zenger

No. 4 BYU Propels Past Rival Utah Into Sweet 16

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PROVO, Utah – Fifty-four team kills led No. 4 seed BYU to a dominating 3-0 match win (25-16, 25-21, 25-18) over in-state rival Utah on Saturday in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

With the victory, BYU (29-1) advanced to a seventh-straight Sweet 16 and extended a home match NCAA Tournament win streak to 19 games dating back to 1994.

"What a great match to be a part of," BYU head coach Heather Olmstead said. "Utah played well and I want to congratulate them on a great season. I'm really proud of the entire team effort and the energy they brought."

Senior Roni Jones-Perry contributed 20 kills on a .471 hit percentage while freshman Heather Gneiting had 12 kills hitting .688. Freshman Madelyn Robinson and sophomore Kennedy Eschenberg each had seven kills. Coming into the tournament as the top hitting team in the nation with a .318 average, the Cougars hit .410 as a team against the Utes (19-14).

Senior Lyndie Haddock-Eppich notched 45 assists, eight digs and two aces while senior Danelle Stetler provided crucial defense with 12 digs.

"Lyndie set a great match and offensively we were so smart with our swings," Olmstead said. "I'm so impressed by Roni and how she works to get better; she was so fun to watch tonight. We are thrilled to be able to advance and get back in the gym on Monday."

Click here for a photo essay of the match and see the links below for complete stats and press conference quotes.

BYU came out swinging in the first set and took its first two points off of Jones-Perry kills on the outside. Utah took a slim 11-10 lead midway through the set, but BYU took off on a 7-0 run to jump ahead 17-11. The run included three kills by Jones-Perry and one by Eschenberg. A dump kill by Haddock-Eppich finished off the set, 25-16. 

BYU and Utah stayed within five points throughout the second set until back-to-back aces by Haddock-Eppich put the Cougars up, 16-10. The Utes brought the score within three at 18-15, but BYU maintained distance and finished off the set at 25-21. 

Utah began the third set with an ace, and took a 2-0 lead but BYU came back with an 8-0 run to pull ahead 9-3, including two kills each from Eschenberg and Jones-Perry. The Cougars maintained the lead, ultimately claiming the set and the match on a block by Haddock and Eschenberg, 25-18.

The Cougars win came before a crowd of 5,183, the second-largest home crowd in program history behind the Utah game earlier this year.

BYU will next play Florida on Friday, Dec. 7. No. 5 Texas and Michigan will play in the other Provo Regional game. The Cougars are hosting a regional for the first time since 1986 when the tournament had only 32 teams. Times and broadcast information will be announced Sunday afternoon.

Jordan Christiansen | Posted: 28 Nov 2018 | Updated: 8 Nov 2020
Jordan Christiansen

Cougars Begin NCAA Tourney on Friday in Provo

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PROVO, Utah - The No. 4-seeded BYU women's volleyball team is set to begin NCAA tournament play on Friday, Nov. 30, against Stony Brook in the Smith Fieldhouse. 

The match will begin at 7 p.m. MT and will air live on BYUtv and BYUtv.org. Preceding the match, Utah and Denver will face off at 4 p.m. MT. The winner of the two matches will then play Saturday, Dec. 1, at 7 p.m. MT.

BYU is the No. 4 seed in the NCAA tournament, the Cougars' highest seed since the current tournament format began in 2000. The tournament appearance is BYU's 31st all-time, seventh-most in NCAA Division I history.

The Cougars have reached at least the Sweet Sixteen of the tournament each of the last six years, including advancing to the national championship game in 2014. As a top-four seed, BYU would host the Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight matches next week for the first time should the Cougars win two matches this weekend.

BYU currently has a 20-match win streak in the Smith Fieldhouse, including all 13 games played this year. Since 2012, the Cougars are 94-3 at home. BYU also has not lost a home NCAA tourney match since 1994, winning 17 straight since that time. Overall, BYU is 26-6 in NCAA tournament home matches.

BYU has never faced Stony Brook or Denver. The Cougars have a 72-30 all-time record against Utah after sweeping the Utes earlier this season in Provo.

The Cougars are led by WCC Player of the Year Roni Jones-Perry who is No. 4 in the nation in points per set (5.47) and No. 10 in kills per set (4.71) in the nation. BYU swept the WCC awards this season with junior libero Mary Lake winning Defender of the Year for the second-straight season, middle blocker Heather Gneiting winning Freshman of the Year and Heather Olmstead winning Coach of the Year.

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