Kemavor's career-high helps No. 19 BYU hold off Utah State to snap 3-match skid

PROVO — Utah State women's volleyball was probably feeling pretty confident as it headed to the fifth set of an in-state rivalry match at BYU, while the Cougars had plenty of reasons to be less relaxed.

The hosts had just lost three straight five-set outings, all but 2 points apiece, and despite a 2-6 start to the 2024 campaign, the Aggies were unbeaten in the decisive fifth set.

Until Wednesday night.

Brielle Kemavor totaled a career-high 10 blocks and seven kills, and Claire Little poured in 17 kills with eight digs as 19th-ranked BYU held off in-state rival Utah State 23-25, 25-23, 25-12, 25-27, 15-11 in front of an announced crowd of 3,929 fans at the Smith Fieldhouse.

Elli Mortensen added 13 kills, seven digs and two blocks, and Kjersti Strong supplied 10 kills and seven blocks for the Cougars, who hit just .209 but held the Aggies to .082 hitting — including a negative-.045 split n the decisive fifth set — to snap a three-match losing skid.

"The biggest thing that we learned is how we're fighters," Kemavor said after losses to No. 19 Georgia Tech, San Diego and No. 12 Oregon — all by 2 points in five sets. "We compete until the fifth set, and we don't let up."

Alex Bower had 43 assists, seven digs and five blocks for the Cougars (5-3), who handed the Aggies their first loss in five sets of the year.

But Utah State (2-7) was determined, a team who had won both of its matches previous in five including Saturday against MAC foe Ohio in Los Angeles.

Led by a standout performance by Adna Mehmedovic (14 kills, six blocks) and a 6-2 offense that included 27 assists from Kaylie Kofe and eight assists and six digs from Kate Lijic, the Aggies came back after trailing by as much as 24-21 in the fourth set.

Kemavor wouldn't let the Cougars say die after the rally, though, posting two blocks included one that lifted BYU to an 8-6 advantage at the midway rotation.

The 6-foot-5 sophomore from Bristow, Virginia, gave the Cougars a 10-7 lead, then took a 12-8 lead as they looked to close out their first five-set match of the year.

Strong, the Saint Mary's transfer who prepped at Skyridge High before two years at Snow College, forced match point that caromed off the back row and hit the under side of the vents atop the fieldhouse.

That allowed Brielle Miller to ace the final point and lift the Cougars by the Aggies, 15-11.

"I think we were just working super hard and having good eyes," Kemavor said. "Trust your skills and your training — you have to go out and execute."

BYU opened its return home after a two-match losing skid in San Diego strong, posting four blocks and holding the Aggies to even hitting midway through the opening set.

But Utah State served tough, dishing out five aces including a pair by Kendal Hone during a 4-0 run to tie the set at 18-18.

Andrea Simovski added another ace to go up 24-22, and Kelsey Watson finished off the 25-23 opening set with a kill to push the visitors in front, 1-0.

The Cougars came back strong in the second set, laying down six blocks and holding the Aggies to .125 hitting (12 kills on 32 swings) to even the match.

Little had nine kills in the first two sets as BYU swung .242 from the pins in the 25-23 second-set victory.

Mortensen and the Cougars blitzed the Aggies to open the third set, taking advantage of Utah State's unique 6-2 offense with a 10-2 run — including a 10-0 run served by Hannah Billeter — to jump out to a 19-8 advantage on Mortensen's first ace of the night.

Little stretched the lead to 21-9 with her 11th kill of the match, and capped the win by dropping her first ace of the night just inside the back line for the 25-12 win.

Mara Stiglic gave Utah State a 6-2 lead early in the fourth set, but BYU took an 8-7 lead as Billeter again served three-straight. BYU led by as much as 18-11 before Utah State stormed back, pulling as close as 23-21 when Delaney Lawson snuck a point before the Cougars' 24-21 advantage.

But the Aggies tied the set at 24-24 when Little's attack inched out of bounds at the back row. Video review of the initial call, which was ruled out, proved inconclusive and Stiglic forced match point with a kill on the next possession.

Little kept the set alive with a strike off the block. But Utah State's Tierney Barlow and Anna Mehmedovic combined on a block to force a fifth set with a 27-25 fourth-set victory.

BYU plays its second of three consecutive in-state matches Friday at Weber State (6 p.m. MDT, ESPN+). The Cougars are back home Saturday against crosstown rival Utah Valley (6 p.m. MDT, ESPN+).

Utah State returns to Logan to host Utah Valley at 8 p.m. MDT Thursday before a trip to Weber State at 6 p.m. MDT Saturday.

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