BOCA RATON, FLA., November 17, 2023 – The University of South Florida volleyball team (18-11, 12-6 AAC) clinched at least a share of the AAC East Division title with a sweep over the Florida Atlantic Owls (19-12, 11-7 AAC) on Friday afternoon.
South Florida can win the title outright with a win over Rice on Wednesday.
The Bulls won with scores of 25-19, 25-16, 25-22.
Maria Clara Andrade (Sao Paulo, Brazil) led the team with 10 kills and one solo block. Caroline Dykes (Flower Mound, Texas) served three aces to lead the match. Miya Thomas (Gainesville) finished with 14 digs.
South Florida and Florida Atlantic came out trading points. After tying at 13, the Bulls went on a 7-3 run and forced an Owls timeout. The Bulls cruised to the end of the set, scoring the final three points on a solo block by Andrade and two aces from Dykes.
The Bulls continued to cruise through the second set, forcing the Owls to use both timeouts before either team reached 15 points. The two teams traded points, but South Florida kept the momentum and scored five out of the last six points to take the two-set lead.
With the East Division Championship within their reach, the Bulls battled through the final set. Florida Atlantic wasn’t going down without a fight, tying nine times. The Owls pulled within one of the Bulls, but two straight points sealed the win and ended the 21-year drought.
NOTABLES
- The Bulls out blocked the Owls, 7-5.
- South Florida held FAU to 23 kills, the third-lowest all season.
- Niki Khoshatefeh (Temecula, Calif.) led with four block assists.
UP NEXT
The Bulls will close out the regular as they welcome the Rice Owls to The Corral on Wednesday. The match is set for 12:30 p.m.
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. 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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