#1 BYU Advances To Championship With 3-2 Win

BYU holds off #4 UNLV's upset bid.

BYU's Erica Lott and Lindsy Hartsock celebrate as the Cougars advance to the MWC Championship match.
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Nov. 26, 2005

LAS VEGAS -

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In the Mountain West Conference Volleyball Championship semifinals on Friday night, the top-seed BYU Cougars (25-2) advanced into its fourth-ever tournament championship match by the smallest of margins. The #4 seed UNLV Rebels (15-15) pushed the Cougars to the brink of elimination after coming back from a two-game deficit, but BYU found a way to play on Saturday vs. #3 seed Utah at 8 p.m. in the Cox Pavilion.

The Cougars jumped out to a quick two games to none lead with great hitting numbers (.270 and .280 in games one and two, respectively). After the break, the Rebels took control of game three at 18-17 and game four at 13-12 to knot the match up at 2-2. Game five went down to the wire with UNLV opening things up at the 10-9 juncture and owning two match points at 14-12 and 14-13 before succumbing to BYU in the final three points of the match.

BYU tallied three more kills than UNLV (74 to 71) and hit for a higher percentage (.227 to .153) in the match. The Cougars hit between .083 and .324 in their five games, with their lowest numbers coming in the decisive fifth game. UNLV hit between .033 and .333 in each game, with its lowest number in the fifth game, as well.

The Cougars were led by double-doubles from Chelsea Goodman and Erica Lott. Goodman tied for the match-high in kills with 18 and sat alone atop the digs total with 27. Lott threw down 15 kills and dug out 13 UNLV attacks. Lindsy Hartsock hit for a match-high .478 percentage with her 13 kills coming off of 23 attempts. Rachel Dyer tossed in 17 kills of her own. Lauren Evans assisted on 58 kills.

UNLV's Maria Aladjova tied Goodman for the match-high in kills with 18. Mariana Pencheva (14), Jennifer Johnson (13) and Lauren Miramontes (11) rounded out the group of four Rebels with double-figures in kills. Melody Nua collected 52 assists. The Rebels had five players register double-digits in digs with Camille Cunningham leading the way with 14 and was followed by Nua's 13, Jada Walker's 12, Brittani Lumsden's 11 and Michelle Banks' 10.

No. 1 BYU vs. No. 4 UNLV Match Notes:
BYU advances to its first championship match since 2002 with its win over UNLV. The Cougars are 1-2 all-time in the championship match of the MWC Tournament, winning the 2000 MWC Championship.

The Rebels played in a five-game semifinal match for the second-consecutive season. UNLV took Utah to five-games in the 2004 MWC Championship semifinals, losing the final stanza 15-11 and the match, 3-2.

BYU sophomores Chelsea Goodman and Erica Lott turned in double-doubles. Goodman collected 18 kills and 27 digs to Lott's 15 kills and 13 digs.

MWC Player of the Year Lindsy Hartsock finished the match with 13 kills on 23 attacks for a match-high hitting percentage of .478. She also collected eight blocks to lead the Cougars.

With her 1st dig of the match, UNLV's Jada Walker set a new MWC single-season dig record, surpassing Utah's Connie Dangerfield's total of 467, set last season. Walker finished with 12 digs, giving her 479 on the season.