For the first time since 2011, BYU women’s volleyball has failed to advance past the first round of the NCAA tournament.
The Cougars’ 2024 campaign came to an awkward, abrupt end Thursday in West Lafayette, Indiana, being swept in three sets by underdog Loyola Chicago in the tournament’s opening round.
It was an uncharacteristically sloppy performance for No. 5-seeded BYU, recording a dismal .164 hitting percentage — well below its season average of .261 — with 28 errors on the afternoon.
The first two sets were competitive, with four lead changes, 12 ties and final margins of 25-20 and 25-21 in favor of the Ramblers. However, Loyola Chicago took command of the final frame, winning 25-17 with just one lead change.
“I want to congratulate Loyola Chicago on a great match and for advancing in the tournament,” BYU head coach Heather Olmstead said. “We’re happy to be here and thanks to Purdue for hosting us. Obviously, we’re disappointed in the match that we just put together but grateful for the season that we had with this group, the growth that we had and the opportunities we had to be together, to learn and to battle.
“... I think we just didn’t quite have what it takes today, and we’ll go back to the drawing board, figure it out and learn from this just like we’ve learned from all the other matches, win or lose, this whole season. I’m grateful for our team and their fight all year and the growth that we’ve had. It’s been a wild ride for us and we’re grateful for the opportunity to play in the tournament. We’ve just got to learn from it and get better.”
Kjersti Strong and Claire Little each tallied eight kills for the Cougars, with Elli Mortensen and Brielle Kemavor both adding seven of their own. Alex Bower and Lulu Uluave combined for 19 total digs, with Bower racking up 29 assists as well.
BYU tallied seven blocks — right around its season average — but lost the dig battle 53-37 and allowed the Ramblers to hit at a .277 clip.
Never in Olmstead’s tenure in Provo have the Cougars lost their first tournament match. Conversely, for Loyola Chicago, which went on a heater in the Atlantic 10 championship to steal the conference’s automatic bid, Thursday marks the first tournament win in program history.
Despite the tough finish, the future appears bright for BYU. Olmstead is projected to return all but one starter in 2025, a group that includes All-Big 12 honorees Little, Kemavor, Bower and Mortensen.
“I love this group of girls,” Bower said. “There’s no group of girls who work harder than us, and I think what’s important, what’s so cool about this loss is, yes, we are not satisfied, but what’s important is our response and our reaction to this, and I can guarantee you that we’re going to be the hardest working team you’ll see next year and in this spring. We’re excited to get back at it, and we just are so grateful to have each other. This team is very selfless, so we’re always getting better because of that.”