First Ever Alumni Victory

PROVO -- After a heartbreaking loss in last year’s bout, the BYU alumni team defeated the current squad for the first time at Saturday’s annual Alumni Match. The former players took the match in four sets (30-20, 30-25, 23-30, 30-25) in the Smith Fieldhouse.

“This was the best alumni team ever assembled,” BYU coach Shawn Patchell said. “I loved that we got to compete with guys that have played professionally and on the national team.”

Determined to show they were serious about the match, the alumni team came out strong and won the first two sets. The current Cougars were not going to take the loss lying down and came back to overcome the alumni in set three.

“I would’ve liked our players to compete a little better,” Patchell said. “The team is going to be more focused at practice because of this tough loss.”

Despite exchanging jokes and laughs, both teams were all business as the fourth set began. The 2009-10 team kept things close but the alumni pulled it out in the end to win the match.

BYU will next take the court Nov. 20-21 when it participates in the Las Vegas Tournament.