No. 10 BYU faces No. 20 Houston in Big 12 women’s volleyball season opener
No. 10 BYU hosts No. 20 Houston Wednesday at the Smith Fieldhouse at 7 p.m. The match will be televised on ESPN2.
BYU went 3-0 last week against in-state rivals Utah, UVU and Utah State to put its season record at 11-1. Houston has a 7-2 record after winning against Texas A&M and Liberty last week.
This game marks the third top 25 matchup for BYU this season, as the Cougars won against No. 5 Pitt in four sets and lost to No. 13 Washington State in four sets.
This match is the first within Big 12 conference play for both teams, marking a historic moment for both programs.
“Obviously there is pressure because we are this new team starting in this conference, but we try to treat it like every other game and play to the best of our abilities,” BYU opposite hitter Kate Prior said.
Last time the two sets of Cougars faced each other was in 2010, with Houston winning in five sets in Provo. Coach Heather Olmstead has never faced Houston as head coach.
BYU has a stretch of four consecutive top 25 games with No. 20 Houston, No. 18 Baylor on Saturday and two matches at No. 9 Texas the following week.
“We have been preparing for these moments our entire volleyball career and it is really these next few weeks where we have a good chance to see what we are made of, to see how competitive we can be, and we belong here,” Prior said. “We belong with these top teams, and this is our chance to prove ourselves.”
