BYU’s No. 5 Cougars lost a heart-stopping match to the undefeated No. 4 Hawaii Rainbow Warriors in five sets (25-20, 22-25, 25-23, 16-25, 20-22). Despite a strong performance by Niko Hales, who recorded a career-high eight blocks and hit six kills, the Cougars couldn’t overcome their mistakes.
The first set saw the Cougars take an early lead before Hawaii staged a comeback, ultimately taking it 25-20. In the second set, the Rainbow Warriors took control, but BYU fought back to win it 25-22. The third set was a close one, with the Cougars eventually emerging victorious 25-23.
However, the fourth set proved to be a disaster for the Cougars, as Hawaii dominated and won it 25-16. In the deciding fifth set, the teams traded points until the Rainbow Warriors finally took the lead and won the match.
The Cougars’ efforts were still praised by coach Shawn Olmstead, who said that every point mattered in such a competitive game. The team will look to regroup and improve for their rematch against Hawaii on Saturday, February 1 at 7 p.m. MT.
Source: https://byucougars.com/news/2025/02/1/no-5-byu-falls-3-2to-no-4-hawaii-on-friday