The Smith Fieldhouse was alive for the second night in a row as BYU men’s volleyball delivered a performance that felt in command from the start.
After beating Concordia University Irvine the previous night and returning home following a month-long road stretch, the Cougars left no doubt, sweeping the Eagles in straight sets (25-15, 25-23, 25-17) and controlling the match from beginning to end.
“It was really nice to be home,” said coach Shawn Olmstead. “I was really proud of these guys. Their response has always been, no matter who they’re playing, to be consistent, aggressive, and assertive through the whole weekend.”
In the opening set, the Cougars quickly found their rhythm, tallying multiple aces and hitting an .619 with just one error. The set featured back-and-forth rallies, resulting in seven tie scores, but no lead changes. Concordia stayed within reach until BYU pulled away with an eight-point service run led by Cole Houser.
Houser recorded two aces during that stretch, helping BYU create separation. The set ended with a kill by Teilon-Jonathan Tufuga, securing the 25-15 win.
BYU carried that momentum into the second set, though Concordia responded with renewed energy.
The teams traded points throughout, with both sides showing intensity and composure. Each time Concordia made a push, BYU answered. The Cougars spread their offense effectively, recording 11 kills and hitting .500 in the set.
Connor Oldani and Tufuga led the way with four kills each, while Trent Moser added three.
Concordia battled late, but a key kill by Moser gave BYU a 24-23 edge. An attack error by the Eagles sealed the set, 25-23.
In the third set, BYU once again started strong. A kill by AJ Cottle and an ace from Tyler Herget helped the Cougars take an early 4-2 lead. With additional kills from Cottle and Tufuga, along with an ace by Moser, BYU forced a Concordia timeout at 16-11.
The Cougars maintained control down the stretch, finishing the match with back-to-back aces from Trevor Herget and Tennison Lighthall to secure the 25-17 win. BYU totaled nine aces on the night.
Tyler Herget led the offense throughout the match, distributing 31 assists and keeping hitters involved across the board. Oldani finished with a team-high 10 kills, followed by Tufuga with eight and Moser with seven. Trevor Herget and Cottle each posted an impressive .750 hitting percentage.
“[Tyler Herget] set a beautiful weekend,” Olmstead said. “I was really proud of the way he responded. He got the right hitters the ball at the right times, which gave us really good opportunities and really good swings.”
BYU will now turn its attention to Pepperdine, a matchup the Cougars have had circled since the start of the season. The two teams will face off March 27 and 28 at 7 p.m. in the Smith Fieldhouse.