Irvine, Calif. – In an epic battle of the nation's top two team, No. 2 BYU rallied to win the last three sets and upend No. 1 UC Irvine 3-2 (22-25, 24-26, 25023, 25-23, 15-11) at the Bren Events Center Friday in front of 2,906 fans. 

The loss snaps UCI's 11-match winning streak as the Anteaters go to 15-4 overall and 12-4 in the MPSF. BYU improves to 12-3 on the year and 11-2 in the MPSF.

UCI middle blocker Collin Mehring set a school record with a career-high 14 block assists to go with 11 kills. Outside hitter Kevin Tillie led UCI in kills with 20 as well as recording 11 digs, four aces and five block assists. Opposite Zack La Cavera had 15 kills, six digs and six block assists, while outside hitter Jeremy Dejno added nine kills and three service aces. Libero Michael Brinkley totaled 12 digs and setter Daniel Stork recorded a career-high 52 set assists, four block assists.

The Anteaters had a season-high 23 service errors, while BYU committed just 12. The Cougars led in hitting (.241-.234) and digs (55-38), while UCI held the advantage in blocks (17-14) and aces (9-2).

BYU's Ben Patch led all players with a career-high 35 kills, which is a BYU's rally scoring record. He also added eight digs and five block assists. Josue Rivera notched 12 kills, seven digs and five block assists. Taylor Sander had eight kills and hit -.049, but led all players with 14 digs. Jaylen Reyes totaled 13 digs, while Russ Lavaja had a team-best eight block assists. Setter Ryan Boyce tallied 50 set assists, 11 digs and four block assists.

UCI had three consecutive blocks to open a 15-12 lead in the first set. The Anteaters continued to hold the 18-15 advantage when BYU used a kill by Taylor Sander, a block and a kill from Ben Patch to knot the score at 18-18. The teams would side-out until UCI had a block by Jason Agopian and Kevin Tillie followed by a block by Agopian and Daniel Stork to push the Anteater cushion to 22-20. A kill by Zack La Cavera and another block by Tillie and Collin Mehring ended the set, 25-22.

In set two, a kill by Tillie and a block by Mehring and Tillie put UCI ahead 14-10 then another block by Mehring with La Cavera opened an 18-13 lead. After the Anteaters were up 21-15, BYU used a kill by Josue Rivera, an ace by Sander and three kills by Ben Patch to narrow the margin to 21-20. Following a kill by Tillie and a UCI service error, another block by Mehring and Tillie gave the Anteaters 23-21 lead, but the Cougars rallied on a Patch kill and a kill by Russ Lavaja on an overpass to tie the score at 23-23. After trading points, a kill by La Cavera and a BYU attack that flew long gave UCI the 26-24 win.

Behind the serving of Jeremy Dejno which included two aces, UCI built a 14-8 third set lead and continued to lead 17-12 on a Mehring kill and then 19-14 on a La Cavera kill. BYU would rally on a 10-3 run, which was capped by a pair of Patch kills and a block to take the lead at 24-22. A kill by Tillie delayed the Cougar victory which came on a Patch kill, 25-23.

In the fourth set, a UCI attack error and a kill by Lavaja put BYU on top 22-20. A kill by Jeremy Dejno out of the back and a Cougar attack that sailed wide knotted the score at 22s. BYU setter Ryan Boyce climbed the scorer's table to save a ball that was passed over the net and ended in a UCI attack error. Another UCI attack that into the net was followed by kill by Mehring to keep BYU on top, 24-23. A kill by Rivera ended the set 25-23 for BYU.

In the final set, BYU jumped out to a 4-1 lead and never trailed taking the set 15-11 and the match 3-2.

UCI will travel to Long Beach State next Saturday (Mar. 9) in a Black & Blue Rivalry Series presented by Duke's of Huntington Beach match at the Walter Pyramid beginning at 7:00 p.m.

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