Irvine, Calif. -- In another epic battle, No. 8 BYU won the final two sets to beat No. 7 UC Irvine, 3-2 (19-25, 34-32, 21-25, 25-18, 15-12) in front of 2,793 fans at the Bren Center Friday.
UCI (3-4, 0-3) was led by freshman Tamir Hershko with a career-high 25 kills and four blocks. Senior outside hitter Jeremy Dejno had a season-high 16 kills, eight digs and three total blocks, while outside hitter Travis Woloson had a career-best nine kills and eight digs and middle blocker Collin Mehring totaled nine kills and a match-best six block assists. Libero Michael Brinkley posted a season-best 18 digs and setter Michael Saeta recorded a career-best 50 set assists and seven digs. Middle Blocker Scott Kevorken tallied five kills and four total blocks.
The Anteaters out-hit (.289-.285) and out-blocked (12-9) BYU, while the Cougars had one more dig (51-50). Both teams fired six aces.
BYU (3-2, 3-0) was led by Taylor Sander with 25 kills followed by Carson Heninger with 17 kills and Josue Rivera with 12 kills and 12 digs. Setter Tyler Heap totaled 54 set assits and 10 digs.
A kill by Tamir Hershko was followed by three straight BYU attack errors, one a block by Scott Kevorken, to give UCI the 8-4 lead in the first set. The Anteaters continued to lead 18-15 before kills by Jeremy Dejno and Travis Woloson was followed by another Cougar attack error to extend the UCI advantage to 21-15. The Anteaters would win the set, 25-19 on a kill by Dejno. UCI hit .286, while BYU hit .080.
UCI led 17-12 in the second set until BYU scored five unanswered to knot the score at 17 all. On BYU's eighth set point, a UCI attack went wide to give the Cougars the 34-32 victory.
With the third set tied at 18-18, UCI used two kills by Hershko plus a block by Mehring and Woloson to give the Anteaters the 20-18 lead. An ace by Mehring would end the set 25-21 for UCI.
BYU would out-score UCI to take a 9-6 lead in the fourth set and never relinquish the lead as the Cougars forced a fifth set 25-18. The Cougars hit .591 (15-2-22).
In the final set, BYU jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead, but a Cougar error and a block by Mehring and Dejno tied the set at 2-2. BYU would score the next three to push ahead 5-2. Zack La Cavera sparked the Anteaters with a pair of kills, but BYU would answer with the next two and maintain a 7-4 lead. UCI would record three straight kills close to 10-9, but Devin Young would post a kill to keep the Cougar's two-point lead. BYU would record the final two kills to win the set 15-12 and the match 3-2.
UCI is back in action tomorrow (Jan. 18) hosting Cal Baptist at 7:00 p.m. in the Bren Center.
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