TicketsPROVO, Utah – The University of Cincinnati volleyball team secured a five-set win against No. 24-ranked BYU on Thursday in Provo, Utah.
The Bearcats (14-12, 5-10 Big 12) overcame an early setback after dropping the first set, and then rallied to take the next two before edging the Cougars (16-10, 9-6 Big 12) in a decisive fifth set.
This is Cincinnati's first ranked win since 2019.
Late-match heroics by sophomore Sydney Nolan boosted UC to victory. The Florence, Ky., native captured eight kills in the fifth set and earned her first 20-kill match of her career (22).
Senior Abby Walker notched two milestones, recording her 1,000th career kill and her 100th career ace as she delivered nine kills and also added seven blocks.
The reigning Big 12 Rookie of the Week, freshman Faith Frame, attained 24 digs. The Gretna, Neb., native has tallied double-digit digs in 19 matches, with five matches featuring 20 or more digs.
Fifth-year Irbe Lazda notched her second double-digit kill performance of the season (15) hitting at an impressive .370 clip.
Senior Katelyn Lefler tied her season high in blocks with five, while freshman Lilly Gillespie snagged a career-high four serving aces.
In the first set, Lazda capped an early 6-1 run by the Bearcats to give them a 12-7 advantage. Four errors by Cincinnati ignited a 6-1 run from BYU, giving the home team a 23-21 lead before they clinched the set 25-23.
Cincinnati came out strong in the second set, keeping it close early, 9-7. A kill from Nolan sparked a 7-2 run to give the Bearcats a 16-10 lead. Soon after, an ace by Gillespie gave UC an 18-12 lead. The Cougars bounced back with a 6-1 run to cut Cincinnati's lead to one, 19-18. Senior Julie Wittekind clinched the set for the Bearcats as she recorded an ace. UC ended the set on a 4-0 run, sealing it 25-19.
The Cougars went on an early 5-1 run to go up 6-3 in the third set. A kill by Walker narrowed the lead to one, 15-14. Back-to-back errors by the Cougars moved Cincinnati back within one point, 20-19. Gillespie claimed two aces as the Bearcats went on their own 5-1 run to win the set 25-23.
In the fourth set, an ace by Walker knotted it at 7-7. It was a neck-and-neck contest until BYU started to pull away after going on an 8-2 run (19-12). Cincinnati responded with a 3-0 run (19-15), but the Cougars eventually secured the set 25-17.
Nolan took over in the fifth set for the Bearcats. Consecutive kills by Nolan gave UC a 2-0 lead to start the fifth set. Nolan's third kill of the set kept Cincinnati within one 6-5. Back-to-back kills by Nolan brought UC back to within one 11-10. Cincinnati freshman Fallon Stewart capped the come-from-behind victory with a kill, as UC ended the match on a 3-0 run, winning the decisive fifth set 15-13.
The Bearcats (14-12, 5-10 Big 12) overcame an early setback after dropping the first set, and then rallied to take the next two before edging the Cougars (16-10, 9-6 Big 12) in a decisive fifth set.
This is Cincinnati's first ranked win since 2019.
Late-match heroics by sophomore Sydney Nolan boosted UC to victory. The Florence, Ky., native captured eight kills in the fifth set and earned her first 20-kill match of her career (22).
Senior Abby Walker notched two milestones, recording her 1,000th career kill and her 100th career ace as she delivered nine kills and also added seven blocks.
The reigning Big 12 Rookie of the Week, freshman Faith Frame, attained 24 digs. The Gretna, Neb., native has tallied double-digit digs in 19 matches, with five matches featuring 20 or more digs.
Fifth-year Irbe Lazda notched her second double-digit kill performance of the season (15) hitting at an impressive .370 clip.
Senior Katelyn Lefler tied her season high in blocks with five, while freshman Lilly Gillespie snagged a career-high four serving aces.
In the first set, Lazda capped an early 6-1 run by the Bearcats to give them a 12-7 advantage. Four errors by Cincinnati ignited a 6-1 run from BYU, giving the home team a 23-21 lead before they clinched the set 25-23.
Cincinnati came out strong in the second set, keeping it close early, 9-7. A kill from Nolan sparked a 7-2 run to give the Bearcats a 16-10 lead. Soon after, an ace by Gillespie gave UC an 18-12 lead. The Cougars bounced back with a 6-1 run to cut Cincinnati's lead to one, 19-18. Senior Julie Wittekind clinched the set for the Bearcats as she recorded an ace. UC ended the set on a 4-0 run, sealing it 25-19.
The Cougars went on an early 5-1 run to go up 6-3 in the third set. A kill by Walker narrowed the lead to one, 15-14. Back-to-back errors by the Cougars moved Cincinnati back within one point, 20-19. Gillespie claimed two aces as the Bearcats went on their own 5-1 run to win the set 25-23.
In the fourth set, an ace by Walker knotted it at 7-7. It was a neck-and-neck contest until BYU started to pull away after going on an 8-2 run (19-12). Cincinnati responded with a 3-0 run (19-15), but the Cougars eventually secured the set 25-17.
Nolan took over in the fifth set for the Bearcats. Consecutive kills by Nolan gave UC a 2-0 lead to start the fifth set. Nolan's third kill of the set kept Cincinnati within one 6-5. Back-to-back kills by Nolan brought UC back to within one 11-10. Cincinnati freshman Fallon Stewart capped the come-from-behind victory with a kill, as UC ended the match on a 3-0 run, winning the decisive fifth set 15-13.