BYU men's volleyball schedule set for '08

PROVO — Road matches against the defending national champion and a squad that upset the top-ranked team in the final four last year highlight the Brigham Young men's volleyball schedule for 2008.

UC Irvine, the defending champ, will play host to the Cougars Feb. 15, 16.. Then, on Jan. 18, BYU is set to play Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne, who beat then-No. 1 ranked Pepperdine in the NCAA Final Four last season.

The Cougars open the season on the road — the first time in three years — with five straight before its home opener against Cal-Baptist Jan. 25. Other dates to circle include road games against Hawaii April 4, 5, the Long Beach Pyramid Tournament in Long Beach, Calif., and a home stand from Feb. 22 to March 8 versus Stanford, Pacific and Pepperdine.

Preseason play begins Nov. 9, 10, when BYU hosts a tournament that will bring Cal-State Northridge and Utah Valley State College to Provo.

WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY: Despite running without their five top runners in preparation for the University of Oregon's Bob Dellinger Invitational in Springfield, Ore., on Saturday, Brigham Young finished in the Nos. 2-7 spots to win the Big Wave Invitational in Kane'ohe, Hawaii, on Saturday.

BYU's Cecily Lemmon, a redshirt freshman who battled sickness all week previous to the race, came in second place, followed by Anna Sperry, Tawny Bybee, Wendy Harris, Carolyn Quebe and Carlee Clark-Platt.

MEN'S SWIMMING: As part of Homecoming week, the annual Alumni Meet was held at the Richards Building Pool last Friday.

Seven alumni competed, with Brett Allen (2007) winning the 50-yard freestyle while the alumni team took first in the 200 free relay.

The team will next compete Oct. 12 in the Don Reddish Relays in Salt Lake City.

WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL: Brigham Young split a pair of matches last week, staging a comeback on the road against Weber State on Tuesday, then losing to Colorado State in five games at home Saturday.

In a dramatic five-setter that was the first of four in-state matches this season, the No. 17 Cougars (8-4 overall, 1-2 Mountain West Conference) lost two of the first three games before coming out victorious in the final two for the 28-30, 30-25, 28-30, 30-15, 19-17 win. BYU has never lost to the Wildcats. They are 56-0 all-time against WSU.