No. 17 BYU women’s volleyball closed out Ellesyn Invitational play with a pair of wins, defeating UTRGV 3-1 and then capping the tournament with a 3-1 win against host Montana (25-21, 20-25, 25-16, 25-15) at Dahlberg Arena on Saturday.

In the first match, three Cougars (2-0, 0-0 Big 12) finished with double digit kills and BYU hit .311 for the match to the Vaqueros’ .269, recording nine (59 to 50) more kills than UTRGV on the day. The Cougars also out-blocked (11 to six) and out-dug (43 to 40) Rio Grande Valley.

Outside hitter Claire Little followed up her BYU debut against No. 5 Pitt with a game-high 17 kills. Joining her with double-digit kills were outside hitter Erin Livingston, who had 15, and middle blocker Whitney McEwan-Llarenas, whose 10 kills came on a team-high .562 clip.

Setter Whitney Bower tallied a game-high 40 assists while adding nine digs and seven kills. Libero Kamaile Hiapo’s 10 digs were a team-high. She contributed nine assists as well. Opposite hitter Kate Prior four total blocks were also a team-high.

The Cougars later improved to 3-0 on the season after recording a .229 hitting percentage on the match while holding the Grizzlies to a .105 clip.

BYU totaled 11 service aces, including five from setter Whitney Bower, tying a career-high, and career-highs from both libero Hannah Billeter (four aces) and middle blocker Mia Lee (two aces).

Middle blocker Whitney McEwan-Llarenas and outside hitter Elyse Stowell both joined Billeter and Lee with career nights, contributing a career-high nine and five total blocks, respectively.

Outside hitter Erin Livingston finished with a game-high 18 kills. Middle blocker Whitney McEwan-Llarenas added eight kills while Whitney Bower tallied six, both on a .667 clip. Whitney Bower also carded 32 assists and tied a career-high with seven total blocks.

Libero Kamaile Hiapo posted a game-high 17 digs as the Cougars both out-dug (50 to 47) and out-blocked (15 to seven) the Grizzlies on the night.

BYU will return to Provo next week for a matchup with Loyola Marymount on Wednesday, Aug. 30 before hosting McNeese and UC Davis in the dōTERRA Classic. All three matches will be streamed on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.

BYU women’s soccer blasts past Boise State

No. 11 BYU women’s soccer won its first road match of the regular season, besting the Boise State Broncos 4-1.

In the first-ever regular-season meeting between BYU (3-0) and Boise State (1-1-1), the Cougars tallied 14 shots to the Broncos’ four. BYU handed Boise State its first loss of the 2023 season in the Saturday night matchup.

“A really great result for us tonight,” head coach Jennifer Rockwood said. “Boise State is not an easy team to play on the road. It was a physical game, they were a very direct team, and that is sometimes very difficult to play. Our girls were patient and were able to keep possession, and came up with some really nice goals tonight.”

Olivia Wade-Katoa scored in her fourth-straight match for the Cougars, along with Bella Folino, who scored her third goal of the season, and Brecken Mozingo, who notched her second. Sophomore forward Allie Fryer scored her first goal of the 2023 season in tonight’s battle at the Boas Soccer Complex in Boise, Idaho.

Both Ellie Boren and Kendell Petersen tallied their third assists of the season in tonight’s game, while Tara Warner and Fryer earned their first assists of the 2023 season.

The Cougar offense started strong and fast with a Folino goal from the top of the six in the second minute of play. Folino’s goal came off a Boren cross, fired from outside the 18-yard box.

BYU continued to press Boise State’s defenders as Fryer collected a ball from Folino in the 19th minute of play at the top of the 18-yard box, firing off a shot that curved just wide of the post. Moments later, Petersen tested Bronco goalkeeper Genevieve Crenshaw with a shot from deep that was collected and sent the other way.

Although the Cougars maintained possession for most of the first half, the Broncos held them to just five shots, three of which were on target. Boise State had one shot through the first 45, also tallying two corner kicks and two saves. BYU goalkeeper Savanna Mason was not tested at all during the first half, as Boise State saw no shots on frame.

Petersen had the first shot of the second half in the 49th minute, fired from center field straight into the arms of the Boise State keeper. Two more quick shots by Wade-Katoa and Fryer kept the pressure on the Bronco defense.

In the 56th minute, the Broncos drove down the right side of the field with their first goal-scoring opportunity of the second half, as BYU defender Laveni Vaka got the defensive stop with a slide tackle in the box.

The Cougars countered as Petersen drove the ball into the box and fired off a shot that was tipped out by the keeper. Wade-Katoa took a one-touch shot off a Fryer pass, sending the ball into the back of the net to extend the BYU lead, 2-0. Wade-Katoa has now scored in all four games this season.

In the 66th minute, the Broncos drew a foul right outside the 18-yard box, and converted the set piece into their first goal of the night, lessening the Cougar lead, 2-1.

The Cougars answered back with a goal of their own in the 72nd minute, as Petersen passed a ball up to Warner who crossed the ball into the box for Fryer’s first goal of the 2023 season.

Just four minutes later, BYU was awarded a penalty kick as Petersen was taken down inside the box. Mozingo took the penalty for the Cougars, sliding the ball past Boise State’s goalkeeper for her second goal of the season, widening the Cougar lead, 4-1.

With one minute remaining in the match, BYU sophomore Erin Bailey rocketed a shot from the top of the 18, hitting the top crossbar and being cleared out by Bronco defense.

Maintaining control in the final seconds of the match, the Cougars secured their fourth win of the season, beating the Broncos 4-1.

The Cougars next take the field as they host No. 1 UCLA Thursday, Aug. 31 at 8 p.m. MT. The game will be streamed live on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.

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