Battle of Efficiency

Friday, February 19

Riverside, Calif.

7:00 PM

California Baptist University

BYU

Cal Baptist

Photo by: Jacob Gonzalez

2/19/2016 9:24:00 PM | Men's Volleyball

Box Score

By: Andrew Shortall, Asst. Sports Information Director

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – After debuting in the NCAA Division I-II polls for the first time on Monday, California Baptist University was given a tough task in second-ranked BYU in Mountain Pacific Sports Federation action Friday night.

Despite a valiant effort, the Cougars grabbed the straight-set win, 25-19, 25-20, 25-22. The Lancers hit an impressive .351, with 36 kills and 10 errors on 74 attempts on the night, but were countered by an even-more efficient offense.

BYU clicked to the tune of a .500 (50-10-80) percentage on the night, led by 17 kills from Ben Patch. BYU improved to 11-2, 8-2 in the MPSF. CBU's record evened at 8-8, 3-8. The two sides will meet again Saturday at 7 p.m. in the Van Dyne Gym.

Luis Palos was all over the place for the Lancers with a team-high 11 kills on a .421 percentage (11-3-19), five blocks and three digs on the night.

Rocky DeLyon contributed six kills, five digs and an ace. Jackson Burge had six kills, two blocks and an ace. Enrique de Diego Garcia contributed five blocks for CBU.

BYU tried to set the tone early, but CBU battled to stay with the Cougars. The visitors took a 17-9 lead in the opener, but a service error turned the ball over and an attack error got momentum going in CBU's favor.

The Lancers scored three-straight points off a Burge kill, a solo stuff from Palos and a DeLyon ace. The surge cut CBU's deficit all the way to 19-15 and forced a BYU timeout. CBU got its closest, 20-17, on a combo block from Palos and Garcia, but wouldn't get any further as the Cougars took the first set 25-19.

BYU kept the pressure on, taking an 8-5 lead early in the second set. Once again, the Lancers had a response. DeLyon laid down a kill to start a 3-0 spurt, as Kevin Vaz and Burge teamed up for a block and a bad BYU set made it 8-8.

Burge gave CBU its first lead of the night, 14-13, as he slammed down a kill off an Arturo Iglesias set.

The Lancers would hold leads at 15-14, 17-16, and 18-17, but BYU wouldn't let the home team off the hook. The Cougars went on a 4-0 run to take a 21-18 edge and held on for the 25-20 win.

CBU dug deep in the third set, trying to force extra time and boasted a .421 hitting clip in the frame – after hitting .391 in the second. Each time BYU tried to distance itself from the Lancers, it found out they weren't going anywhere.

Down 13-8, Roy Powell slammed down a kill to start shifting momentum in CBU's favor. The pendulum swung way over to the Lancers' side as they went on a 6-1 run to even things up at 17-17. Burge stunned BYU with an ace to tie the score and force a timeout.

The Cougars regrouped and jumped back in front 22-20, but desperation mode kicked in for the Lancers. Powell notched consecutive points on a kill and an ace and a Garcia kill kept things even at 20-20. BYU would rattle of the next two points and never look back en route to a 25-22 win.