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BYU's Elli Mortensen (2) celebrates a point in a Big 12 women's volleyball match at Kansas State on Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026.

Courtesy BYU Athletics

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BYU's Lulu Po'uha serves against Kansas State in a Big 12 women's volleyball match at Manhattan, Kan., on Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026.

Courtesy BYU Athletics

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MANHATTAN, Kan. — Elli Mortensen’s second double-double in a row pushed No. 18 BYU women’s volleyball to a four-set win at Kansas State (27-25, 25-18, 24-26, 25-18) at Morgan Family Arena on Thursday night.

The Cougars (10-1, 2-0 Big 12) saw Mortensen put down a career-high 19 kills, hitting .630, to go along with 12 digs for the second double-double of her career and in as many games.

Claire Little Chambers and Sophia Callahan joined her in double figures, both tallying 13 kills. Setter Alex Bower and Kaylie Kofe recorded 25 assists apiece and Lulu Po’uha led the way with 20 digs.

Kelli Jo Burgess posted a match-high 10 blocks, the third double-digit block finish of her career and second this season as BYU sent back a season-high 14 blocks, also hitting .336 to the Wildcats’ .185.

Trailing early in Set 1, a 6-0 run by BYU fueled by a pair of Mortensen kills and two double blocks involving Burgess forced a Kansas State timeout at 9-6. Weathering a 3-0 KSU run, the teams traded points with the Cougars taking a 15-14 lead into the technical timeout.

Then tied at 17, a 3-0 BYU run capped off by Callahan’s third kill of the set forced K-State’s second timeout. Brooke Hardy got on the board with two quick hitters, and after Kansas State fought off a pair of set points to draw within one, BYU took a timeout ahead 24-23.

After ties at 24 and 25, a tip kill by Callahan and Mortensen overpass slam wrapped up the first, 27-25. The pair of pins had 13 of the Cougars’ 17 kills in the opening set, with Mortensen recording eight and Callahan carding five.

Battling again, two separate 3-0 runs paced BYU to a 15-12 advantage at the break in Set 2. Hardy scored once more before teaming with Mortensen on a double block, prompting a K-State timeout with the Cougars leading 18-15.

Coming out of the timeout, Hardy and Mortensen repeated the sequence, as Hardy recorded another kill before the duo combined for another double block to give BYU a 20-15 lead.

Two Little Chambers kills and a quick hitter for Burgess gave the Cougars set point, which the pair converted on the next play with a double block for a 25-18 second set win.

Tied at four in Set 3, three straight from the Cougars, highlighted by a Little Chambers ace and Burgess-Callahan double block, to lead 7-4. Two kills by Mortensen and three from Little Chambers had BYU leading by six at the technical timeout, 15-9.

The Wildcats went on a 4-0 out of the break, but Little Chambers, Burgess, Mortensen and Callahan kept the Cougars in front by three at 20-17. Three straight by KSU tied the set at 21, and both teams took a timeout with Kansas State taking a 23-22 lead.

After a Wildcat ace gave KSU set point, a Little Chambers kill made it 24-23, Kansas State, forcing its second timeout. Tied at 24, the Wildcats took two of the next three to force a fourth, 26-24.

Both teams went on 3-0 runs to start the fourth set, with KSU taking a 15-13 advantage into the technical timeout. The Cougars flipped the script from there, reeling off seven straight amidst both of the Wildcats’ timeouts to lead 21-17. Little Chambers and Callahan closed things out with kills down the stretch, picking up a 25-18 final frame win to close out the four-set victory.

UVU swept by UC Santa Barbara

UC Santa Barbara defeated Utah Valley 3-0 (25-20, 25-19, 26-24) on Thursday night inside Lockhart Arena. The Gauchos (7-7, 3-0 Big West) were led by Auburn Tomkinson, who recorded 15 kills with no hitting errors. Gabi Martinez added 15 kills. Utah Valley (4-11, 2-1 Big West) was led by right-side hitter Olivia Gloeckner, who finished with 10 kills, her highest total since recording 14 against Radford.

Alyvia Watkins added seven kills and seven total blocks for the Wolverines. Evalyn Medaris posted 28 assists, six digs and a solo block as Utah Valley finished with 10 team blocks.

UC Santa Barbara rallied from an early deficit to claim the opening set, 25-20. Tomkinson led the Gauchos with six kills in the frame, while Martinez added five. Utah Valley’s Miley Thunstrom recorded four kills to help the Wolverines build a 14-8 advantage following a 5-0 run. After a UCSB timeout, the Gauchos answered with a 5-0 run of their own to cut the deficit to 14-13 before using a 6-0 surge to take the lead. Gloeckner added four kills on seven attacks in the opening set.

The teams were tied 9-9 early in the second set before UC Santa Barbara won six of the next eight points to take a 13-9 lead. Utah Valley responded behind Gloeckner and Watkins, who contributed at the net on both offense and defense, helping the Wolverines even the score at 14-14. The Gauchos regained control by capitalizing on Utah Valley errors and adding two service aces to pull away for a 25-19 victory.

The third set followed a similar pattern, with the teams battling through a close start before UC Santa Barbara used a 4-1 run to move ahead 13-10. Utah Valley later erased the deficit with the help of three Gaucho errors, and a kill by Kenna McClure gave the Wolverines a 19-17 lead. Kills from Gloeckner and Brielle Rueckert helped Utah Valley maintain its advantage before a 4-0 UC Santa Barbara run swung momentum back to the visitors.

The Wolverines made one final push as Chloe Hansen and Gloeckner recorded kills to trim the deficit to 24-23. Utah Valley then benefited from a Sandrea Thomas attack error to tie the set at 24-24, but the Gauchos secured the final two points to complete the sweep.

Utah Valley concludes its four-match homestand Saturday, Oct. 3, with a 1 p.m. MDT match against Cal Poly. The Mustangs represented the Big West in last season’s NCAA Tournament and advanced to the Sweet 16.