TAMPA - The University of South Florida volleyball team gave it a ride on Senior Day, but Cincinnati was too much for the Bulls as the Bearcats won, 3-0, Sunday afternoon at The Corral.
USF got hot in the middle of the first set and then rallied late before ultimately coming up short, 25-22. The Bearcats took control of the match with a 25-15 win in the second set, while the squads went back and forth in the third set before Cincinnati claimed victory with a 25-23 win.
The Bulls (16-7 overall, 8-4 BIG EAST) were led by senior Marcela Gurgel with 10 kills, four digs and three blocks, and junior Mariana Thon, who had a team-high 15 assists with seven digs. Senior Alli Arbogast added seven kills and four blocks and moved into a tie for second in USF annals in block assists. Gurgel took sole possession of second place on USF's all-time kills mark as well.
Missy Harpenau led all player with 18 kill for the Bearcats (20-9 overall, 10-2 BIG EAST), who maintained second place in the league. USF stayed in fourth in the conference standings. USF outblocked Cincinnati, 10-5, but the Bearcats held a distinct advantage in attack percentage, .343-.170.
The 'Cats earned the first four points of the afternoon in the first set and then continued to push that lead as USF called a timeout down, 11-5. But after trading serves following the timeout, the Bulls swung momentum back to their side by taking the next seven points and nine of the next 10 to go up by two, 15-13, with Gurgel providing three of her six kills in the set during the stretch.
The momentum quickly swung the other way, as Cincinnati built up a five-point lead at 21-16. USF did not go down quietly, as two straight service aces by Thon and a kill by senior transfer Pamela Luiz gave USF to one at 23-22. Back-to-back kills on Cincinnati's part ended the first set, 25-22.
The Bulls fell behind early to begin the second set and Cincinnati got the lead up to five, 11-6. A kill by Gurgel and a block by Arbogast and junior Allie Boaz slimmed the lead to three at 12-9, only the second time in the set USF scored two straight points.
USF again called a timeout at 20-12 after the 'Cats went on a 6-2 run. A Luiz kill and a block by Boaz and redshirt freshman Caitlyn Breen followed, but Cincinnati went on to win, 25-15.
With senior Mollie Echols and sophomore Kelsey Palmer inserted into the starting lineup in the third set, neither team got ahead early, as a Bearcat service error tied it up at 4-all. The Bulls were forced to rally, though, after Cincinnati won the next four points, as two straight kills by Arbogast tied it back up at 9-9.
Cincinnati responded, getting the lead back up to four at 15-11 before USF again would rally to keep things close. USF cut into the lead until a kill by senior Jarka Havlickova knotted the score at 20 apiece. USF called a timeout down, 23-20, followed by a Cincinnati timeout after two straight Bearcat errors made it 23-22. Boaz kept the match going with a kill to make it 24-23, but a kill by Cincinnati ended play, 25-23.
USF will be on the road next weekend to finish league play, as the Bulls head to DePaul Friday and Notre Dame Sunday before the BIG EAST tournament in two weeks.
