South Florida wins first conference opener since 2020.
TAMPA, September 20, 2023 – Maria Clara Andrade (Sao Paulo, Brazil) led the University of South Florida volleyball team (7-5, 1-0 AAC) to the 3-2 (21-25, 25-23, 25-16, 24-26, 15-9) win over the Tulane Green Wave in the American Athletics Conference opener of Wednesday night.
Andrade, a sophomore outside hitter, finished the match with 22 kills, one away from tying her career-high set last year against Ball State. Caroline Dykes (Flower Mound, Texas) was one assist away from matching her career-high of 56.
Freshman Miya Thomas (Gainesville) earned her first collegiate start. She finished the match with 20 digs, six assists, and one serve ace. Buse Hazan (Istanbul, Turkey) set a new career-high of four service aces.
South Florida fell fast in the first set, with Tulane scoring the first seven points. A late run from the Bulls made it a five-point game, but the Green Wave took set one.
The Bulls jumped out on top and quickly took a 7-2 lead. Tulane battled back and tied the set at 23. Hazan scored the last two points with a kill and a service ace.
Set three started close, but the Bulls found their momentum and cruised to a 23-14 lead, highlighted by an 8-1 run. Andrade sealed the one-set lead with her 18th kill.
The Bulls and Green Wave battled throughout the fourth set. Tulane went on a late 5-1 run to tie the match at two sets.
The Green and Gold cruised through the final set, scoring six of the first eight points. They closed the match out on a 4-1 run.
NOTABLES
- The Bulls match a team of 14 services set last season in the season opener against Ball State.
- Marta Cvitkovic (Rijeka, Croatia) had 16 kills and four aces.
- Dykes recorded her fourth double-double of the season.
UP NEXT
South Florida goes back on the road for a pair of road matches against Memphis this Saturday and Sunday. Both matches are slated for 2 p.m. (E.T.).
About USF Volleyball
Head coach Jolene Shepardson enters her fourth season at the helm of her alma mater in 2023. Named head coach on Jan. 8, 2020, Shepardson led the Bulls’ program to its last conference championship and NCAA tournament appearance as a student-athlete in 2002. USF made its last postseason appearance in 2018, posting 20 wins and appearing in the NIVC. USF Volleyball has made seven NCAA Tournament appearances and won 12 conference titles since its inception in 1972 and is entering its 50th campaign in 2021-22. The Bulls play in The Corral (1,000), adjacent to the Yuengling Center on the USF campus.
Be sure to follow USF women’s volleyball on social media (Twitter/Instagram/Facebook) and visit GoUSFBulls.com for the most up-to-date information.
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