No. 12 BYU Hosts Gonzaga in Home Opener

No. 12 BYU Hosts Gonzaga in Home OpenerNo. 12 BYU Hosts Gonzaga in Home Opener

PROVO, Utah – No. 12 BYU women’s volleyball will host Gonzaga for a two-match series Feb. 9-10, at the Smith Fieldhouse.

The first matchup of the series is set to start at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 9, while the second match is scheduled for 4 p.m. the following day, Wednesday, Feb. 10. Both matches will be broadcast on BYUtv and the BYUtv App.

BYU Match Notes

No. 12 BYU Cougars (3-0, 2-0 WCC)

  • BYU moved up to No. 12 in the AVCA poll, the second-straight week the Cougars have moved up two spots in the weekly poll
  • The Cougars moved to 3-0 on the season after defeating Utah Valley 3-1, their only scheduled non-conference match of the season
  • Averaging 14.00 assists per set, BYU ranks No. 5 in the NCAA Division I
  • The Cougars rank 14th nationally in hitting percentage (.305), 15th in aces per set (2.30), and 21st in kills per set (14.30)
  • Sophomore setter Whitney Bower is currently averaging 11.30 assists per set, ranking 18th in the nation
  • Senior outside hitter Taylen Ballard-Nixon is No. 26 in points per set (5.10) and No. 35 in aces per set (0.70)

Series Information

  • BYU is 21-1 all-time against Gonzaga, including 10-1 at home
  • Under head coach Heather Olmstead, the Cougars are 10-0 in the series

Gonzaga Bulldogs (1-1, 1-1 WCC)

  • After having its first four matches canceled or postponed, Gonzaga split its series against Pacific last week to open its season
  • The Bulldogs returned their top five point scorers from 2019, including three-time all-conference outside hitter Sarah Penner and fellow seniors Chapin Gray (outside hitter) and Katelyn Oppio (middle blocker), who all combined to generate 0ver 1,000 points
  • Gonzaga leads the WCC in blocks per set with 3.22, ranking No. 6 nationally
  • Middle blocker Alyssa Hughes is currently second in the conference with 1.22 blocks per set
  • The Bulldogs rank 27th in the nation with an average of 17.89 digs per set

Broadcast Information – February 9

Broadcast Information – February 10