COLUMBUS, OHIO – Lewis' fourth ranked men's volleyball team season came to an end on Thursday (May 6) with a 3-1 (22-25, 15-25, 28-26, 20-25) at the hands of second ranked BYU in the 2021 NCAA Semifinals at the Covelli Center in Columbus, Ohio.

The Flyers complete the year with a 21-3 record while the Cougars improve to 20-3 on the season.

Lewis' offense was led by Ryan Coenen (Franklin, WI/Franklin) who had 13 kills and four digs while Tyler Mitchem (Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook HS) finished with 10 kills and six total blocks.

The Flyers fell behind 5-1 to begin the match and trailed by as many as six in the opening frame. Lewis fought back getting to within 20-19 after a kill by Mitchem but BYU scored four of the next five points to reach set point first on a kill by Gabi Garcia Fernandez. The Flyers got back-to-back kills from TJ Murray (Barrington, Ill./Barrington HS) and Kyle Bugee (Cupertino, Calif./Homestead) to cut the deficit to 24-22 but couldn't get any closer as the set ended on a service error by Kevin Kauling (Naperville, Ill./Neuqua Valley).

Lewis had to play from behind again in the second set as it trailed by as many as 10 in the set. The Cougars hit .400 in the set recording 12 kills against four errors in 20 swings while the Flyers hit .000 in the set with six kills against six errors in 21 swings.

The third set went back-and-forth with 22 ties and five lead changes. Lewis took its first lead of the match at 6-5 after an attack error by David Gardini. The Flyers led by as many as two points in the set at 19-17 on a kill from Coenen. BYU came back to take a 23-22 lead on an ace from Gardini forcing Lewis to take a timeout.

The Flyers got a kill from Keaton Long (Plano, Texas/Plano) and a double block from Mitchem and Long to regain the lead at 24-23 to reach set point. The Cougars evened the set on a block from Garcia Fernandez and Miki Jauhiainen. Lewis regained the lead on another block from Mitchem and Long but BYU came right back tying the set on an attack error by Bugee.
The Flyers took its final lead of the set on a kill from Coenen and won the set when Murray and Kauling blocked Gardini to win the set 28-26.

Lewis led 11-9 in set four but BYU scored the next four points to take the lead for good. The Flyers closed to within a couple of different times but were unable to retake the lead as the Cougars extended their lead to 19-16 on a kill from Garcia Fernandez. Lewis fought back to within 20-19 on a kill by Bugee but BYU scored five of the final six points of the match to win 25-20.

The Flyers finished the match hitting .238 with 43 kills against 19 errors in 101 swings while the Cougars hit .354 for the contest recording 53 kills against 18 errors in 99 chances. Garcia Fernandez finished with a match-high 17 kills while Gardini and Zach Eschenberg had 11 kills respectively.