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SEATTLE • In the end, it was Jennifer Hamson.

After cruising to an early 2-0 lead in their Sweet 16 showdown with sixth-seeded Florida State, BYU had to fight back from three set points to win the fourth set, and the match, 3-1 (25-20, 25-19, 19-25, 26-24).

The Cougars will face Nebraska, which beat Washington in the other Sweet 16 match Friday, at 9:30 p.m. Saturday in Seattle for the right to move on to the Final Four next week in Oklahoma City.

BYU is one win from its second trip to the NCAA Volleyball Final Four. The first three times the Cougars made it as far as the fourth round, their season was ended by Penn State, twice in the Elite Eight, and once in the national semifinals.

Hamson recorded a career-high 30 kills and seemed to will her team back from the brink in the fourth set. With Florida State (30-3) leading 24-21, Hamson blasted a kill down the right line. After a Florida State hitting error and a Tambre Nobles kill, it was Hamson's turn again, this time with a stuff block. That brought it to match point, and BYU (28-4) knew to go to Hamson.

"She did big for us," said setter Alohi Robins-Hardy. "We needed her, and we need her every match."

BYU started slowly, calling their first time out trailing 6-2. With the score tied at 11, libero Ciara Parker made two stellar digs, then served six straight points. During that decisive streak, Hamson assisted on two of three blocks, adding two right-side kills.

The second set was more of the same, as BYU's flat float serves kept the Seminoles off-balance, allowing Cougar setters Camry Godfrey Willardson and Robins-Hardy to run much of the offense through Hamson, whose 6 kills for the set included two from the back row.

"(Hitting from the back row) is one of my favorite things to do," Hamson said. "We haven't done it very much this season, but it started to work, so we kept doing it."

Florida State outside hitter Nicole Walch came alive in the third set, connecting on nine kills and an ace in the Seminoles' third set win. Walch led all FSU hitters with 23 kills. But, like all BYU opponents this season, she had to deal with the Cougars' overpowering block. BYU won the block battle 16-8, and out-hit the Seminoles .285-.245.

In the fourth set, BYU again fell behind 6-2. But the defense stepped up, and a string of solid digs gave the Cougars more opportunities to connect with their star hitter.

To the end, Hamson kept swinging hard, from all parts of the court.

"Jen," said BYU coach Shaun Olmstead, "you were unreal." —

Storylines

P Jennifer Hamson sets a career-high for kills with 30.

• BYU rallies from 6-2 deficits in the first and fourth sets.

• The Cougars have 16 blocks to Florida State's eight.