Box Score
TAMPA - - Closing out a five-match home stand, the University of South Florida volleyball team recorded its third straight sweep and fifth win in six matches after defeating Rutgers 25-17, 25-13, 25-19.
“In the first two sets, I thought we were real crisp,” said USF head coach Claire Lessinger. “We were really focused on running our offense consistently.”
The Bulls' powerful middle blocker duo of senior Nakia Williams and junior Alli Arbogast played a big factor in the win that takes the team's record to 15-8 overall, 5-3 in BIG EAST play.
Williams tied for the team-high in kills for the match with 11 during a .625 hitting percentage effort that is her second-highest of the season. Williams committed only one single attack error through the three sets and reached the double-digit kill mark for the ninth time during her senior campaign.
Arbogast converted on three kills but did the most damage with her blocking. The St. Louis native tallied a season-best nine blocks against Rutgers (1-16, 0-7).
“I think we really turned the match around with our blocking,” said Lessinger. “Arbogast just went off tonight blocking wise and had a really good setup on the right side.”
Just last year, Arbogast set the USF all-time highest block assists in a single season with 154 and is once again leading the Bulls in total blocks this year with 83 (0.98 per set).
Equaling Williams' 11 kills was junior Marcela Gurgel, who posted the Bulls' lone double-double of the evening with 13 digs. Gurgel served up four more aces in the match and currently sits at second in the nation in aces per set at 0.67, and may have the opportunity to be leading the NCAA by the time the weekend concludes.
Sophomore setter Mariana Thon put together one of her best all-around performances of the season against the Scarlet Knights. Along with her 27 assists, Thon had four kills on errorless attacking, three digs and three block assists.
For the first time since the Samford match on Sept. 13, outside hitter Cynthia Danthon saw action in a match after returning from injury. The senior from France played primarily on the back row and had five digs.
As a team, USF outhit Rutgers .330-to-.074. It was the third straight match the Bulls' defense has held their opponent under the .100 attack percentage as a team.
Rutgers' Caitlin Saxton totaled a double-double during the defeat with a match-high 13 kills along with 11 digs.
A challenging four-match road stretch awaits USF, beginning on Friday, Oct. 31, when the Bulls play on Halloween night at 7:30 p.m. against Cincinnati. Two days later, on Sunday, Nov. 2, USF and Louisville square off in the Bluegrass state in front of a nationally televised audience at 2 p.m. on ESPNU.
