NO. 24 BYU OPENS HOME SLATE WITH EASTERN ILLINOIS, NO. 2 PITT PROVO, Utah — No. 24 BYU women's volleyball hosts its first two home matches of the season this week. The Cougars will welcome Eastern Illinois and No. 2 Pittsburgh to the Smith Fieldhouse for a pair of matches Thursday and Friday. BYU remained at No. 24 in this week's American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) poll after picking up a pair of wins at the FGCU Invitational in Fort Myers, Florida, last week, overcoming a 2-0 deficit to reverse sweep Florida State before beating host Florida Gulf Coast in four sets. Following the weekend's matches, opposite hitter Sophia Callahan was named the tournament MVP, while setter Alex Bower was honored as a member of the all-tournament team. Callahan's 19 kills came on a .325 hitting percentage, while Bower posted 44 assists and 12 digs. Callahan added seven digs and four blocks. Bower and fellow setter Kaylie Kofe (45 assists) spread the Cougar offense around as seven different hitters recorded a kill in the tournament: Claire Little Chambers (21), Callahan (19), Kate Prior (16), Brooke Hardy (15, .393 hitting percentage), Elli Mortensen (14), Kelli Jo Burgess (13, .478 hitting percentage) and Dimitra Nanou(nine). Burgess led the way defensively with 16 total blocks, averaging 1.78 per set, while Little Chambers contributed 11 (1.22 per set). Hardy tallied seven, while Prior posted five. Through two matches, BYU is hitting .269 as a team while holding opponents to a .212 hitting percentage. The Cougars are averaging 12 kills per set, 11.22 assists per set, 9.22 digs per set, 2.61 blocks per set and 1.56 aces per set. Individually, Mortensen's 0.83 aces per set rank 20th nationally and third in the Big 12. Burgess' 1.78 blocks per set rank 23rd nationally and fifth in the Big 12. Beginning a stretch of four of the next five matches at home, the Cougars will square off with a set of Panthers, opening with the first-ever meeting against Eastern Illinois before their first Top 25 matchup of the season against No. 2 Pitt. Up Next BYU will head back out on the road for a Tuesday night match at Boise State before returning home to host UCLA later in the week. Full details: 📸: @BYUwvolleyball @BYUphoto