In the BYU women's volleyball matchup Saturday against the Houston Cougars, the Smith Fieldhouse looked a little different.
Instead of its usual sea of royal blue, fans wore pink in support of Breast Cancer Awareness in BYU’s annual pink match. The arena buzzed with a sense of purpose, not just for volleyball, but for something bigger.
No. 21 BYU played with heart and came away with the win in four sets against Houston, with scores of 25-17, 25-27, 25-19, and 25-17. The second set slipped away in a late surge by Houston, but BYU responded with poise, regaining control in the next two sets.
Before the match, fans filled out pink notecards, writing the names of loved ones they were fighting for. During a timeout in the fourth set, fans lifted up their cards with pride, sharing that this night was more than just for sports.
Earlier this week on BYUtv's Sports Nation, coach Heather Holmstead shared her personal connection to the cause. Her father was diagnosed with breast cancer. This was a moment that reshaped her family’s understanding of the disease.
“Obviously it affects women, one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer," she said. "But of those diagnosed with cancer, less than 1% is male. And so a couple years ago my dad got diagnosed with breast cancer and that brought awareness to my family and to the fact that men can be diagnosed.”
She added, “I just want to be a part of that awareness and really just let people know — male and female — to just be the best advocates they can for themselves.”
Outside hitter Claire Little-Chambers also reflected on the emotional weight of the match in that same interview.
“It’s a balance of understanding the significance of this game but also making sure we go out and play volleyball," she said.
Little-Chambers did both. She finished the night with 21 kills, anchored by her setter Alex Bower who earned her fourth double-double with 42 assists and 14 digs.
After the match, Bower credited her teammates for the performance.
“It’s all about the team,” she said. “They make me look good, I just gotta do my job, be in the right spot and they just terminate the balls, they make me look good. I love my job, I love setting them.”
DOUBLE-DOUBLE FOR ALEX BOWER!!!
— BYU Women’s Volleyball (@BYUwvolleyball) October 11, 2025
42 ASSISTS & 14 DIGS🤯 pic.twitter.com/3x6ots2kDJ
The night ended with a win, but the impact went far beyond the scoreboard. As Little-Chambers put it: “Playing this sport can bring such a light to this community and I think it’s an opportunity to bring a light to a not so happy situation.”
The BYU Cougars are set to play No. 8 Arizona State this Thursday at home, hoping to bring this momentum into this Big 12 matchup.