BYU beats Lewis 3-1 in semis to advance to NCAA championship game

Looking from the crowd after BYU wins a point at the NCAA semifinals

COLUMBUS, Ohio — BYU men's volleyball defeated Lewis 3-1 (25-22, 25-15, 26-28, 25-20) in the NCAA semifinals Thursday night to advance to the national championship game Saturday against Hawaii.

The Cougars now head to their eighth national championship appearance, looking for their fourth national title. Head coach Shawn Olmstead will be making his third championship appearance as head coach after the victory over Lewis.

“We knew it was going to be a tough match,” Olmstead said, “but I just couldn't be more excited for the guys and proud of them. I’m happy.”

Key Players:

Gabi Garcia Fernandez: 17 kills, .364 hitting percentage, two service aces, two blocks, seven digs
Davide Gardini: 11 kills, two service aces, six digs, two blocks
Zach Eschenberg: 11 kills, three service aces, two digs, two blocks
Felipe de Brito Ferreira: six kills, .625 hitting percentage, six blocks
Wil Stanley: 43 assists, eight digs, five blocks

See a recap of the semifinal victory with more quotes, highlights, statistics and more by scrolling the photo essay below.