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Andrea Rodriguez Gomez and the USF volleyball team continued its trend of out-blocking opponents, and it paid dividends Sunday afternoon.
The Bulls (15-11 Overall, 9-3 The American) stuffed Rutgers 15 times, getting 11 blocks from Rodriguez Gomez en route to a 3-1 win on the road, 25-14, 25-20, 22-25, 25-22.
USF owned nearly every statistical category, out-hitting the Scarlet Knights .295-.169 and collecting 12 more kills than Rutgers. Strong offensive efforts by Erin Fairs (20 kills), Carissa Whalen (12 kills, .417 hit pct.) and Rodriguez Gomez (10 kills, .438 hit pct.) took center stage over the steady defensive play of Amy Van Sant (17 digs) and the USF back row.
Like the UConn match Friday, the Bulls jumped out to a quick start in Sunday's match, cruising through the first set without trailing. Six kills from Fairs paced USF in a 25-14 first-set win, while Whalen added three.
Rutgers' first lead of the day was spoiled early in the second set, as USF retook the lead at 4-3 and never looked back, rattling off eight consecutive points and securing the second-set victory, 25-20. Fairs again posted six kills, and Rodriguez Gomez disrupted the Scarlet Knights' offense with six blocks in the set.
After falling to Rutgers 25-22 in the third set, the Bulls bounced back to claim the win in the fourth, collecting kills from all six attackers to pull out their fifth consecutive road win.
The Bulls return home to face Cincinnati Friday, and will host Louisville Sunday afternoon in The Corral.
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