No. 1 BYU men’s volleyball beats No. 7 Pepperdine in tough matchup with two overtime sets

No. 1 BYU men’s volleyball beat No. 7 Pepperdine in a competitive matchup that included two overtime sets on Saturday night.

Both teams put up a tough fight in each set as neither team won a set by more than two points.

Head coach Shawn Olmstead credited his team for sticking in each set and being able to pull away for the win. “For the guys to stick to it it was big. The guys dug deep for the win.”

The Cougars won three sets consecutively after dropping the first set to Pepperdine. Getting senior opposite hitter Gabi Garcia Fernandez more involved and improved passing were the biggest factors for BYU’s comeback, Olmstead said.

Garcia Fernandez finished the match with 19 kills, three aces and three blocks. Junior Davide Gardini finished with 14 kills, two aces and two blocks.

The Waves got out to a 15-13 lead in the first set off of an ace. BYU took a timeout to stop Pepperdine’s momentum and eventually tied the score at 16 after senior outside hitter Zach Eschenberg’s kill.

Pepperdine once again took a two-point lead at 18-16, forcing another BYU timeout. The Waves pushed the lead to 22-19 after blocking a Gardini hit.

The Cougars tried to come back, cutting the deficit to 24-23 after a Garcia Fernandez kill. The Waves were able to close out the set on the ensuing point after a kill.

The Waves were led by redshirt sophomore Jacob Steele on the set, who finished with eight kills.

Eschenberg finished the set with four kills and Gardini added three kills.

The Cougars clawed their back from an early four-point deficit to win set two 28-26.

Pepperdine jumped out to a 10-6 lead early, forcing a BYU timeout. The Cougars came out of the timeout on point, cutting the deficit to 10-9 after a Pepperdine attacking error.

Pepperdine took a timeout and was able to push the lead to 17-14. BYU responded by going on a 5-1 run, taking a 19-18 lead in the process. The run was aided by a Gardini kill and ace, as well as an Eschenberg kill to give the Cougars the lead.

BYU had an opportunity to finish the set at 24-23 before Pepperdine tied the set off of a kill and eventually took the lead, 25-24.

A Garcia Fernandez kill and attacking error by Pepperdine gave the Cougars the lead again at 26-25. Pepperdine was able to tie the game again off of a kill.

BYU would eventually close off the set with back-to-back kills by Gardini and senior middle blocker Felipe de Brito Ferreira.

Garcia Fernandez and Gardini were big for the Cougars in set two as they each had five kills. Gardini also had an ace.

BYU won set three 25-23, never trailing along the way.

The Cougars came out energized as they jumped to a 8-4 lead. Pepperdine was able to cut the lead to 8-7.

BYU saw the lead cut down to one two more times in the set, including on the set point.

The Cougars were leading 24-20 before Pepperdine went on a 3-0 run. Eschenberg ensured the set would not go to overtime, getting a kill to end the set.

BYU was able to hold off another Pepperdine comeback, winning set four 26-24.

Much like in set three, the Cougars came out energized, taking the first three points of the set.

Pepperdine was able to cut its deficit to one at 8-7. BYU responded with a 4-1 run to push their lead to 12-8 and forcing a Pepperdine timeout. The run was capped off by a Gardini kill.

BYU enjoyed a 20-16 lead before Pepperdine mounted a 5-0 run to take a 21-20 lead. The Cougars were able to go on a run of their own coming out of a time out, taking a 23-21 lead.

Pepperdine would tie the set two more times before BYU closed out the set. The Cougars benefited from back-to-back errors from the Waves to cap off the set 26-24.

Garcia Fernandez had seven kills and an ace in the set. Gardini added five kills of his own and both de Brito Ferreira and senior middle blocker Miki Jauhiainen had two kills.

BYU’s next matches will be against Grand Canyon University on Feb. 18 and 20 in the Smith Fieldhouse.