No. 1 BYU returns home for matches with No. 8 Pepperdine

PROVO, Utah – After a bye week, No. 1 BYU men’s volleyball returns home to the Smith Fieldhouse for matches against No. 8 Pepperdine.

Last Time Out

The Cougars (16-2, 12-2 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation) had a bye last week after defeating No. 7 Hawai’i twice on the islands – first in three sets, then in four. Ben Patch was named MPSF and AVCA Player of the Week for his performance of 39 total kills, including hitting at a season-high .700 clip the first night.

No. 8 Pepperdine

• BYU will play the Waves (10-6, 9-6 MPSF) both Friday and Saturday night at 7 p.m. MDT.
• Pepperdine started the season 6-2 but has gone just 4-4 in its last eight matches. The Waves picked up two wins over the weekend – a four-set win over Cal Baptist and a five-set upset victory at home against Stanford.
• Pepperdine currently sits in fifth place in the conference standings. The Waves were picked to finish seventh in the preseason coaches’ poll following a 24-6, 17-5 record in 2015.
• Pepperdine leads the overall series history 31-26. The Waves won both meetings a year ago in Malibu, each in four sets. The Cougars hold an 18-8 advantage when playing at home.

Match Info

Both matches this week will be broadcast live on BYUtv and simulcast on BYU Radio – Sirius XM 143. Links to live stats and video/audio feeds can be found on the BYU men’s volleyball schedule page.