Freshman Washington leads Bulls with 13 kills and six blocks
TAMPA, FLA. JAN. 23, 2021– The USF women’s volleyball team improved to 2-0 on the 2020 campaign after dropping UNF, 3-1, on Saturday in the Bulls’ first match back in The Corral in over 14 months.
“I am really proud of such a young team to be so mature in how they responded today,” first-year Bulls head coach Jolene Shepardson said. “To maintain that focus in the middle of the match was big. Marta and Agata took some big swings out of the system and the whole team stepped up.”
The Bulls hit .218 in the match and recorded 13 blocks while UNF hit .174 and was out-blocked 13-6 in the Bulls four-set win: 25-19, 15-25, 25-23, 25-16.
The Bulls were led by freshman Makayla Washington (Tallahassee) with 13 kills and .458 hitting percentage while adding six blocks. Freshman Marta Cvitkovic (Rijeka, Croatia) added 11 kills, four blocks and three service aces, while sophomore Ally Barnhart (Lenexa, Kan.) posted nine kills and a team-high seven blocks. Masha Idjilov (Moldova) was once again strong leading the offense with 38 assists and added three kills and three aces.
“She has huge potential upside,” Shepardson said of Washington who sat out last season with an injury. “She got a little attitude on that three on a great set from Masha and that unleashed her power.”
After trailing 6-4 out of the gate, USF put together a 6-1 run to take a 10-7 lead and seize early control of the first set. A kill and a block from Washington gave the Bulls a 19-16 lead. Washington smoked another kill down the center of the court for a 23-18 lead and it was all Bulls from there as Washington recorded four kills and three blocks in the opening stanza.
UNF rebounded in set two, jumping out to a 14-5 lead. An ace from Cvitkovic and a kill from Washington made it 16-9 as the Bulls tried to rally. A Barnhart block cut the margin to six, 17-11, but the Bulls’ attack struggles, hitting just -.029 in the set, were too much too overcome as UNF claimed the second, 25-15.
The Bulls jumped to a 5-1 lead in the third set behind strong serving from Cvitkovic, including an ace. Back-to-back kills for Jac St. Cin (St. Petersburg) gave the Bulls a 10-4 lead. A UNF ace cut the lead to 14-11, but the Bulls responded with a Cvitkovic kill and a Barnhart block to lead 16-11. Another Barnhart kill made it 20-15 and the Bulls brought it home with a Cvitkovic kill, taking the third set, 25-23.
A big combo block from Washington and St. Cin gave the Bulls a 13-10 lead in the fourth set. St. Cin got another solo block to make it 16-12 and the Bulls closed it out from there, recording 12 kills in the set to post a decisive 25-16 set win and end the match.
Notables
• Junior libero CC Clausen posted her 1,000th career dig in the match. She had 13 digs in the match and now has 1,012 on her career.
• Freshman Makayla Washington was impressive leading USF with 13 kills and a .458 hitting percentage while adding six blocks.
• The Bulls posted a season-best .464 hitting percentage and 15 kills in the third set.
• USF out-blocked UNF 13-6.
Next
The Bulls return to The Corral next weekend for a pair of matches (Friday & Saturday) vs. FGCU. First serves are set for 4 p.m. both days with both matches airing live on ESPN+ and the Bulls Unlimited channel on iHeart Radio.
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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