Box Score
Portland, Ore. - - Despite strong performances by the University of South Florida veterans, the Bulls fell in the fifth and deciding set to Arizona State on Friday night at the Chiles Center in Portland.
USF (4-1) struggled at the start of the match, dropping the first set to the Sun Devils (5-1) by a score of 25-16.
Things began to turn around quickly in the second set when USF went on an 8-2 run to lead ASU 16-9. The Bulls went on to take the set 25-17 after a Marcela Gurgel kill to even the match up at one set apiece.
Coming out of the intermission, USF continued to ride the wave of momentum when a 7-0 run early in the third set gave the team some breathing room with the 8-2 advantage. The Sun Devils tried to make it interesting by making a mini-run of their own, but the Bulls quickly re-took control and closed out the fourth set with the 25-18 win.
Unfortunately for the Bulls, the 2-1 set lead would not hold as the talented ASU team came back and edged out USF in the fourth set, 25-21, then 15-7 in the shortened fifth set.
“After the first set, we played really good systematic volleyball and we just executed,” said USF head coach Claire Lessinger. “I thought our game plan against them was a winning game plan but things started to fall apart with our serve-receive game in the fourth and fifth set that didn't allow us to run the offense that had been working all night. In terms of going five sets with a solid Pac-10 team, I'm proud of the team and we just need to bounce back tomorrow.”
Despite the loss, the Bulls had some impressive statistics including senior Cynthia Danthon's first career double-double with an all-time best 14 kills and 10 digs.
“I thought Cynthia played like a lights out senior leader in the second and third sets,” said Lessigner.
Gurgel led the team in kills with a season-best 20 and chipped in eight digs. The junior outside hitter has been in double-digit kills in each of the five Bulls' matches so far this season.
Senior middle blocker Nakia Williams was nearly unstoppable against ASU as she put together 13 kills and a .571 hitting percentage.
“Nakia was unbelievable,” said Lessinger. “Our plan was to run the slide against them and she executed it perfectly, we just couldn't get her the ball enough in the fourth and fifth sets.”
Stephanie Augustavo backed up her 17-dig performance one night ago with 15 more against a talented Sun Devil offense.
Of the team's 56 assists, Brittany Castelamare led the way with 25 while Mariana Thon was close behind with 23.
ASU was helped out by outside hitter Margie Giordano who racked up 19 kills, nine digs and a .385 hitting clip. Setter Marina Mercer had the team's lone double-double with 49 assists and 10 digs.
USF will play a doubleheader during the final day of tomorrow's Portland Nike Invitational. The first match of the day will come at 3:30 eastern time against the nationally-ranked Kansas State at No. 20. Later that evening at 10 p.m. eastern, the Bulls will square off with the host Portland Pilots.
Tune in to USF Press Pass for audio coverage of both matches.
