Career highs from Cvitkovic, Washington and Clausen pace Bulls
TAMPA, FEB. 19, 2021 – The USF women’s volleyball team (5-3; 3-1 AAC) completed a two-match sweep of ECU (1-4; 0-3 AAC) taking the second matchup between the programs in as many days in five sets Friday in Williams Arena in Greenville, N.C.
The Bulls took control from the outset, building an eight-point lead in the first set, as they took the first two stanzas. ECU mounted a charge taking the next two sets before USF was dominant in the fifth set, taking a 15-6 victory to seal a 3-2 win: 25-22, 25-23, 22-25, 18-25, 15-6.
The Bulls were led in kills for the sixth straight match by freshmen Marta Cvitkovic (Rijeka, Croatia) who posted a career high 26 to go with nine digs and two blocks. Sophomore middle blocker Makayla Washington (Tallahassee) also posted a career-best with 16 kills and added four digs and two blocks.
Freshman Agata Plaga (Gizycko, Poland) posted 14 kills and two blocks, while sophomore Madison Lyons (Red Wing, Minn.) led the Bulls with four blocks and added three kills. Junior setter Maria Idjilov (Chisinau, Moldova) posted her fourth double-double of the season with 33 assists and 10 digs while CC Clausen (The Woodlands, Texas) led the team with a career-best 37 digs.
The Bulls jumped to an early 9-5 lead in the first set following a service ace from freshmen Eke Denessen (Venlo, Netherlands). She would post three in the match. The Bulls built an 8-point led following an ace from Idjilov, but ECU rallied with an 8-1 run to cut the USF lead to one, 17-16. USF responded with a Cvitkovic kill and maintained control the rest of the way for a 25-23 win.
The second set went much the same way, as USF jumped to a 6-2 lead and led 20-15 before the Pirates cut the margin to one at 24-23. Again, Cvitkovic responded with a kill to end the set, 25-23.
ECU turned the tables in the third set after USF took an early 6-3 lead on a Clausen ace. The Pirates seized their first lead of the match at 8-7, and built a 17-12 advantage. Back-to-back kills by Plaga and Washington cut the lead to two, 17-15. A big block from Washington and Jac St. Cin (St. Petersburg) helped cut the lead to one, 22-21, but ECU stabilized after a timeout and took the third set, 25-22.
ECU built an 8-3 lead in the fourth set to force a Bulls timeout. A Washington kill stopped the momentum for a bit, but ECU lead 12-7 before another Cvitkovic kill cut the lead to four. ECU rebuilt a 21-13 lead, before the Bulls cut the margin to five. ECU would let them get no closer, forcing a fifth set with a 25-18 win.
In the fifth, USF forged an early 5-2 lead to force an ECU timeout. The Bulls took an 8-3 lead on a Washington block. ECU took another timeout trailing 10-4, but USF kept up the pressure and St. Cin’s kill ended it with a 15-6 USF victory.
NOTABLE
• Marta Cvitkovic led the Bulls in kills for the sixth-straight match with a career-best 26.
• CC Clausen led USF with a career-best 37 digs.
• Makayla Washington posted a career-best 16 kills
• Masha Idjilov logged her fourth double-double of the season with 33 assists and 10 digs.
NEXT UP
USF returns to The Corral in two weeks for a pair of matches vs. Cincinnati on Thur., March 4 and Fri., March 5. Both matches are set for first serve at 4 p.m. and will be streamed live on ESPN+.
About USF Women’s Volleyball
Head coach Jolene Shepardson begins her first season at the helm of her alma mater in 2020-21. 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 49th campaign in 2020-21. 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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