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For the third-straight season, BYU's women's volleyball team is going to the Sweet 16.
Like last year, the Cougars did it the hard way again, beating a seeded team on its home court in an NCAA tournament second-round match.
Jennifer Hamson had 19 kills and Alexa Gray added 15 kills as the Cougars knocked off No. 11 seed Arizona 3-1 in front of a stunned crowd at the McKale Center in Tucson, Arizona.
The scores were 22-25, 25-20, 25-23 and 25-23.
Arizona led the fourth set 23-20, but the Cougars scored five unanswered points to get the win.
Just last spring, Hamson led the BYU women's basketball team to the Sweet 16, having redshirted the 2013 volleyball season when the Cougars made it to the regional semifinals without her by beating Arizona State and Hawaii in Honolulu.
The 2014 Cougars (27-4), ranked No. 12 by the American Volleyball Coaches Association but sent on the road by the NCAA tournament committee, have now won nine straight matches.
The Cougars hit .178 on Friday and had 58 total kills — the Wildcats had 56.
Whitney Young added seven blocks, and Hamson and Amy Boswell had four apiece. Boswell's kill won the pivotal third set for the Cougars.
Madi Kingdon had 33 kills for Arizona, while Ciara Parker had 26 digs for BYU.
The Cougars will face No. 6 seed Florida State on Nov. 12 in Seattle. The Seminoles swept Alabama 3-0 on Friday night in Tallahassee. —
BYU 4, Arizona 1 22-25, 25-20, 25-23, 25-23
R Cougars reach the Sweet 16 for the third time.
• Jennifer Hamson's 19 kills lead the team.
• BYU draws Florida State for its Dec. 12 opponent.