TAMPA, September 1, 2023 – The University of South Florida volleyball team split the opening day of the Bulls Invitational on Friday in the Yuengling Center. The Bulls started the day by defeating the Idaho State Bengals 3-1 (23-25, 25-17, 25-22, 25-15). They closed the day falling to the FGCU Eagles 1-3 (20-25, 21-25, 26-24, 17-25).
After narrowly falling to the Idaho State Bengals in the first set, South Florida bounced back, taking the next three sets to win their first match of the 2023 season. The Bulls were three points from taking set one, but a late 5-1 run by Idaho State gave them the early lead.
Maria Clara Andrade (Sao Paulo, Brazil) and Lauren Lewis (Tarpon Springs) got the second set started for the Bulls. Both teams traded points, but South Florida went on a 9-3 run, led by Buse Hazan (Istanbul, Turkey), to give the Bulls a 23-14 lead. Two Bengal service errors gave the Green and Gold the last two points they needed.
The Bulls kept the momentum going in the third set, taking a 19-7 lead. Andrade led with five kills and Hazan led with two service aces. Idaho State made a comeback to keep the set interesting, but it was two Bengal errors again that gave USF the set win. Ragan Kinard (Lynn Haven) had two blocks in the set to accompany her four from the first set to match her career-high.
Andrade went into the last set with 17 kills, six away from tying a career-high. She finished the match with 21. Kinard set a new career-high at the 23rd point when she and Amanda DeWitt (Jupiter) went up to block Idaho State. Hazan scored the last two points to seal the match for the Bulls.
Andrade had no intentions of slowing down against the Eagles. She led the Bulls with four kills after the first set. Both teams kept their momentum after winning their first match of the day. The first set had 13 ties, the last at 18. FGCU went on a 7-2 run to close out the opening set.
The second set was almost a twin of set one but with one less tie. Andrade once again led the team and also the set with nine kills. Lia Schneider (St. Charles, Ill.) had 13 digs, nine receptions, and three assists after two sets.
The Bulls were on the brink of losing to the FGCU Eagles in the third set but weren’t going down easily. With the Eagles up one, 19-18, late in the set, Tizi Puljiz (Resistencia, Argentina) started a 3-0 run to give the Green and Gold a two-point lead. FGCU was one point away from sweeping, but a block from Kinard and Andrade gave the Bulls the fire they needed. Andrade served two aces to complete the comeback and force a fourth set.
Neither team was going to go down without a fight. Before either team made it to 15 points, there were nine ties. FGCU went on a late 9-3 run to end the match.
NOTABLES
- Kinard set a career-high of seven blocks in the match. Her previous was four against Miami in 2021.
- She finished the day with 10 total blocks.
- Andrade finished the day with 36 kills: 21 against Idaho State and 15 against FGCU.
- She also had her ninth and tenth career double-doubles.
- Schneider led both matches in digs. She finished the day with 28.
- Amanda DeWitt had a double-digit performance against FGCU with 11 kills.
UP NEXT
South Florida will close out the Bulls Invitational tomorrow at 2 p.m. with a match against the Mercer Bears.
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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