The Blue team, led by three-time All-American senior outside-hitter Taylor Sander, won four straight matches (25-23, 25-21, 25-22, 30-28) over the White team during BYU’s pre-season Blue and White match Friday night.
This year’s Blue and White match gave Cougar fans a sneak peak of the BYU’s men’s volleyball team as it returns this season following a run to the NCAA championship at the end of the 2013 season.
Cougar fans will be seeing new faces on the court with the addition of freshman outside-hitter Kiril Meretev of Bulgaria and freshman opposite Tim Dobbert of Germany.
Meretev and Dobbert will help the Cougars’ front-row attack since the Cougars will have to play without All-American opposite Ben Patch, who is currently serving a two-year church mission.
“They bring two different styles,” junior libero Jaylen Reyes said of Meretev and Dobbert. “Those two countries (Bulgaria and Germany) both play really high-level volleyball. It’s good. It’s a change up from what we’re used to.”
Sophomore setter Tyler Heap, who stepped up toward the end of the Cougars’ NCAA run, looked solid throughout all four sets as he seeks to earn more playing time this upcoming season.
BYU will play two exhibition matches against the Winnipeg Wesmen at home Frida,y Dec. 27 at 7:00 p.m. MST before opening up the regular season away against Loyola Jan. 3.
