Bears Take Nationally Ranked BYU to Five Sets in Hard-Fought Loss

Thursday, September 4

Provo, Utah

6 p.m. MT

University of Northern Colorado

2-2,0-0Big Sky

Brigham Young

4-0,0-0Big 12

Northern Colo.

BYU

9/4/2025 8:59:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

By: Elian Soto, Assistant Director of Strategic Communications

PROVO, Utah. – In a gutsy and hard-fought opening match at the BYU Classic, the Northern Colorado Bears volleyball team showed exactly what they're made of, taking nationally ranked No. 18 BYU to five sets in an intense battle on the Cougars' home court. Despite ultimately falling short (16-25, 25-22, 17-25, 25-23, 8-15), the Bears put together a great performance.

Facing one of the most formidable programs in the country, the Bears did not back down. From the first serve to the final point, Northern Colorado matched BYU point for point, displaying resilience, tenacity, and team chemistry.

Leading the charge was Brynn Reines, who delivered a sensational performance with a team-high 18 kills, hitting an impressive .300 on the night. Reines consistently broke through BYU's towering block, keeping the Bears competitive and energized throughout the match.

Setting the tempo was Nerea Alvarez Jorge, who racked up 43 assists on the night. Her poise and precision were instrumental in spreading the attack and keeping the Cougars' defense guessing.

Defensively, the Bears fought with heart, diving for every ball and contesting every point. Their hustle and unity were on full display, particularly in the second and fourth sets, which they won by narrow margins (25-22 and 25-23) against a BYU team used to dominating opponents on its home court.

The Bears will look to build on this performance as they prepare for their next match up in the BYU Classic, where they will take on the Incarnate Word Cardinals.

First serve is set for 3:30 P.M and will be streaming on ESPN+.

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