Box Score AZUSA, Calif. – Every season has its defining moments. The Cougars got theirs on Friday evening with a come-from-behind 3-2 (19-25, 25-15, 20-25, 25-18, 15-9) victory over #4 BYU-Hawaii.
It is the first win in program history against BYU-Hawaii in five attempts. The Seasiders came into the evening as the top team in the PacWest and were the NCAA Division II national runner-up last season.
A host of players step-up in getting the victory. Alicia Utke posted her second double-double in three matches with a 17-kill, 20-dig evening while Mattie Shelford had a match high 19 kills and a .486 hitting percentage. Joy Reinke added 16 kills.
The Cougar specialty players played significant roles in the outcome. Kristina Kam produced 26 digs while Jaden Louie dished out a match high 45 assists while tallying nine digs.
"You always know that BYU Hawaii is a great team and I'm so proud of our team right now. I'm smiling ear-to-ear," said captain Mattie Shelford. "Every person was high energy and everything came together. We've been waiting for this moment all season and for it to come all together against BYU-Hawaii is great. We had some rough patches this year and it feels great to have this moment."
"This is a great win for us this season. I thought we played well and played together as a team. We've been on the cusp a few times this season and to finally get over the hump; I'm proud of the way we persevered this evening," said head coach Chris Keife.
After trading the opening points of the first set, BYU-Hawaii made a 5-5 tie into an 11-7 lead forcing the Cougars into a timeout. A persistent Azusa Pacific effort kept them within striking distance of the lead but the fourth-ranked Seasiders were able to keep Azusa Pacific in a deficit. The home team was able to pull within 19-17 but the two-point spread was as close as they could get. BYU-Hawaii was aided by Lacy Lange's five kills and a team hitting percentage of .341 in the opener.
Azusa Pacific came out firing to start the second set as they won 10 of the first 16 points. BYU-Hawaii called a timeout to regroup. The stoppage in play did not halt the Cougars momentum. A Shelford kill made the score 17-11 and the Seasiders exhausted their final timeout of the frame. All the Cougars did after that was continue to dominate the set. They went up 21-11 and eventually tied the contest at a set apiece with a 25-15.
"Even after the first set we didn't play that well but we were still right there," Keife said. "In the second set we cleaned up some of the little things and that helped build some confidence."
BYU-Hawaii flipped the script in the third set as they raced out to a 10-4 lead. They grew that lead to 14-6 and forced the Cougars into their final timeout of the set. Azusa Pacific was able to chip away as they got their deficit down to 24-20 but their late charge in the stanza was just a little too late.
The Seasiders continued their momentum during the early stages of the fourth set. After a Cougars attack error, BYU-Hawaii held a 9-6 lead and the home decided to use their first timeout. Azusa Pacific responded nicely and took the lead 11-10 on a Seasiders attack error. Unfortunately that lead was short lived as the visitors pushed ahead 15-11. Never the less an undaunted Cougars squad clawed back to tie the frame at 15-15 and retook the lead at 19-18. Back-to-back aces by Cori Esparza gave the Cougars a 21-18 lead then consecutive Reinke kills made it 23-18. The run continued as Azusa Pacific won the frame 25-18.
"Winning the fourth the set was necessary. We had the mindset of nothing to lose. They are the top team in our conference and since we had nothing to lose we played free and easy. Since we can't go to the playoff let's try and shake-up the standings," Reinke said.
In the deciding set the team's traded points with neither team getting more than a one point lead early on. When Crystal Dedes put down an overpass, the Cougars held a 7-5 lead. The Seasiders tied it at 7-7 but Azusa Pacific got their two-point lead back at 9-7. Once again, BYU-Hawaii fought back to knot the score again at 9-9. The Cougars responded with six straight points to seal the upset.
The Seasiders were led by Lange's 14-kill performance.
