Box Score #4 BYU Hawaii def. Fresno Pacific 3-2 (18-25, 26-24, 21-25, 28-26, 15-9)FPU gave the nation's #4-ranked team all it could handle in a five-set thriller on Wednesday night, coming within one point of pulling the upset against the four-time defending PacWest champions.
The Sunbirds (7-6, 1-3 PacWest) unveiled a new lineup and had the Seasiders on their heels for much of the match. The team came within inches of a victory in set four, leading 2-1 in the match and 26-25 in the set after a
Hannah Butler service ace. On the ensuing point the Sunbird attack appeared to hit the ground, and one line judge called it a kill, but was overruled by the head official as the Seasider defender got a hand under it to extend the rally. BYUH then took the next three points to force a fifth set.
After FPU jumped out to a 7-2 run to open the fifth, the Seasiders (7-3, 4-0 PacWest) responded with an 11-1 run to take a commanding lead that would not be relinquished. Shih Ting Chen led BYUH with 30 kills, but the Sunbirds held her below her season average in attack percentage, hitting .247 on the match. FPU out-hit BYUH .164 to .147 and held the Seasiders to a negative percentage in set three.
"We were really pleased with the competitiveness of our team and how we executed tonight," said head coach
Kelly Winter. "There's a lot to like about the overall performance tonight, it's just hard to look at that last set as the last thing you remember, because we kind of fell apart at the end, but I'm very pleased with how we played."
Rupia Inck had 24 kills for the Sunbirds while
Kathleen Anderson added 13 kills and eight blocks.
Morghan Williams finished with 17 kills, moving from middle blocker to outside hitter.
Hannah Butler was all over the place on defense, leading the team with 25 digs.
Bissie DenHartog posted a double-double with 32 assists and 17 digs. Inck finished with 14 digs to post the team's other double-double.
FPU is back in action on Friday hosting Hawaii Pacific. The Sharks took BYUH to five sets in a loss earlier this year as well.
"We've got players that can do some great things and they did tonight," said Winter. "The loss is tough, but we just have to keep playing hard. Our theme verse this year is Galatians 6:9, 'let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.' That's exactly what we need to do. I have full confidence in this team that we're going to keep getting better."
