COSTA MESA – Though they posted better scores, men's volleyball (8-13, 4-6) dropped an eventual 3-0 (25-22, 25-18, 25-20) defeat to #10 BYU (19-8, 6-4) on Good Friday at the Freed Center. VU was held to a season-worst .070 hitting percentage with 21 attack errors (27-21-86), hindering their chances of plucking a set against the Cougars. BYU also dominated the net, doubling VU's total blocks (12-6) and posting their most block assists (21) in January at UC Santa Barbara. The Lions held an edge in digs (37-33) while BYU won the war in service aces (6-5).

What Happened? The Lions forced seven ties in a spirited first set effort. Logan Freemon had an early ace, while Grant Veldman used a pair of kills for a 4-4 score. Two more ties passed before a BYU service error and solo block from Braddock Duckworth rolled the Lions into a 10-8 lead.

The Cougars nailed their first ace of the night, feeding a 7-2 run that flipped the set on its head for a 15-12 BYU advantage. Micah Sybesma snatched two of the next three Vanguard kills, but the problems started to pile up for the hosts midway through the set. The Blue and Gold had seven attack errors (11-7-30), which stymied their hopes of keeping pace with the Cougars. The BYU game was also tumultuous, a theme that was set in the first frame with a 4-1 lead in blocks. They dished out two more blocks  and ace to break through the red zone (20-15 BYU). VU did match the Cougars, outscoring them 7-5 in the closing stages, but Cole Oliver's ace was the final Lion point in a 25-22 loss.

Set 2
Both teams had four attack errors in the next period, but BYU outhit the Lions .310 (13-4-29) to .125 (7-4-24) in the Cougars' best hitting stanza of the night. The Lions had a better showing in blocks, but BYU led 4-3. They also docked a 2-0 stint in aces.

BYU bullied the rallies down the middle, netting three double blocks over their first five points (5-1 BYU). Sybesma shot back with a solo stuff down the middle. Then Brock Henderson tracked a loose pass, covering VU's overpass with a solo block of his own. The Cougars pushed out another ace before completing the 8-5 run to go up 13-6.

The Lions had their first kill of the set through the right pin from Oliver. He made it two straight kills before closing the seam with Duckworth for a double block, keeping VU within four (15-11 BYU). That was the closest scoreline for the set's remainder, as BYU cracked through the Lion defenses with a back row ace and got flowing in system.

The Cougars only committed one attack over their final six kills, in a 9-7 run to trigger set point (24-18). Veldman was the late Lion spark with four kills down the stretch, but BYU bolted a big double block to finish the set.

Set 3
Nothing came easy in the final set of the night for the Blue and Gold. They slumped to the negatives in a -.031 (9-10-32) hitting split and faced a hard challenge trying to chisel through at that point, a well-settled BYU block.

Sybesma had the first two Lion points with a kill on the shoot set, and an ace swept to the corner. They came however, amid an eight-point BYU spread, marking two Cougar blocks and an 8-3 scoreline. Duckworth drew back a few VU points with a pair of kills and signed off on another block with Veldman, to secure the 5-1 run (9-8 BYU).

Each team collectively committed four errors, but BYU grabbed a lead with another double block, and VU stayed within one thanks to a Veldman ace (12-11 BYU).

The set momentum shifted away from the Blue and Gold. Two tight calls left with a rescinded Lion point and the next cranked BYU up 14-12. Sybesma stacked another ace amid a 2-0 run to level the score, but BYU was once again first to the media timeout with a kill going cross-court.

The Lions stuck around with a kill from Veldman and Freemon each (17-16 BYU), but that was all the steam left in the tank, as BYU ballooned to a 7-4 run to flirt with match point. VU clipped four errors in that time, and the Cougars closed in style with an ace to claim the win.
Veldman had 12 kills to lead all scorers. Sybesma had five kills for VU with two service aces. Jacob Bayston and Freemon each had 10 digs.

What's Next? The Blue and Gold head up to Atherton next week in a two-game battle with Menlo, starting on April 3 at 6 p.m.