PROVO, Utah - “We’ve been itching for a win like this for a while,” proclaimed Avah Armour.
Having gone toe-to-toe with the conference’s best for over a month, the Knights charged into the Smith Fieldhouse, home of the 17th-ranked BYU Cougars, and secured that “win like this.”
Armour’s attacking efforts and UCF’s truly brilliant defensive display propelled the Black and Gold to their first ranked win since 2022 and the first as a member of the Big 12.
Outstanding team performance on the road against a very talented BYU group. I thought our players did a great job preparing and showcased a level of consistency and execution that we want to keep building on.
Matt BotsfordHead CoachQUICK HITS
HOW IT HAPPENED
Through the early stages of the opening set, each side brushed off the rust with a mix of attacking and receiving errors. While the Knights’ middles connected for a pair of kills, BYU’s service game, which ranks second behind UCF in the Big 12, put the hosts back in a firm 14-11 lead.
A string of long rallies saw freshman Alexa Haley make her presence known on the defensive end, keeping one of the conference’s most prolific attacks to a sub-.200 hitting percentage, keeping the Knights in striking distance. While the Cougars' offense remained stagnant, the Knights sustained their defensive presence, as Ella Chapman secured blocks to both level the set a 20-all before giving UCF a late lead of 22-21.
After failing to convert their first set point up 24-23, the Knights forced a pair of errors from BYU to prevail in a dramatic first chapter, 27-25.
Out of the break, the Knights’ attack took center stage, piecing together a 7-0 run with multiple Abby Schomers aces and a pair of Armour kills backing the Cougars against the wall. However, BYU responded with a seven-point stretch of its own, taking back the lead and control of the set.
Looking for a spark, Haley stepped up to serve with her squad in an 18-16 deficit. In just minutes, the freshman flipped the script, causing chaos for the Cougars and feeding her middles blocks at the net. Six points later, the Naples, Florida, native left the serve line with a 22-19 UCF advantage, a lead which they’d finish off with Armour’s 10th kill and the Knights’ fourth block of the set.
Battle-tested after splitting two top-25 matchups a week ago, BYU responded with a convincing set-three performance to cut the Black and Gold's lead in half. While Armour continued to find open court on the hosts' side, the Cougars’ service pressure and growing offensive game put them across the line in the third.
With history in similar road contests this season, the Knights strived to finish off the match once and for all in the fourth set. Providing a jolt off the bench, Fallon Stewart tallied multiple kills early on, sparking UCF to slowly grow its lead. With an emphatic win in sight, a late Skylar English kill propelled the Knights in front by five, a position they wouldn't squander.
Stewart provided the match winner and opened a crucial Big 12 road trip in a significant manner.
UP NEXT
The Knights will stay in Utah and head to Salt Lake City for a 9 p.m. EST matchup with the Utes on Friday.
SINGLE GAME AND SEASON TICKETS ON SALE NOW
UCF volleyball single-match and season tickets are on sale now. Be sure to catch all the action in the program's 50th Anniversary Season. Tickets can be purchased online at ucfknights.com/tickets or by calling the ticket office at (407) 823-1000.
ABOUT UCF ATHLETICS
UCF is a proud member of the Big 12 Conference. Our mission is to positively transform the lives of our students academically, athletically, and personally through a nationally competitive intercollegiate athletics program that enhances the reputation and visibility of the University. We strive to be Florida's preeminent athletic program, representing UCF and our community with distinction on the national stage as "Orlando's Hometown Team". To learn more about UCF and Athletics, please visit our websites at www.ucf.edu and www.ucfknights.com.
