Balanced Bulls Power Past Owls

Women's Volleyball USF

Balanced Bulls Power Past Owls

Team 1 2 3 4
Temple 23 26 20 15
USF 25 24 25 25

 

PHILADELPHIA - The University of South Florida volleyball team looked sharp in Philadelphia Wednesday night, posting its 11th conference win on the heels of Andrea Rodriguez Gomez's third double-double of the 2013 season.

Rodriguez Gomez contributed 12 kills and 10 blocks in one of the Bulls' most balanced offensive matches of the season as seven players recorded at least five kills to overpower Temple in four sets, 25-23, 24-26, 25-20, 25-15.

Three players reached double-digit kills and five added double-digit digs as the Bulls lit up the stat sheet, out-hitting Temple .272-.178, out-blocking the Owls 14-7, and leading in nearly every statistical category.

Trailing 5-9 early in the first set, the Bulls began to close the gap, getting three consecutive kills from Jennica Mullins and Ciara Brown. USF tied things up at 15 all, and took the lead for good at 20-19, using back-to-back service aces from Amy Van Sant and a pair of Rodriguez Gomez kills to close out Temple 25-23. Rodriguez Gomez and Kayla Bivins led USF with a combined eight kills in 13 swings as the Bulls out-hit the Owls .400-.282 in a high-powered offensive set.

Both defenses adjusted well in the second set, and despite USF out-hitting Temple .191-.170 in the second set, it was the Owls who took home a 26-24 win, using eight kills from Gabriella Matautia to edge the Bulls and tie the match heading into intermission.

Through two sets, Temple had not figured out how to stop USF's middle attack, as Rodriguez Gomez and Jennica Mullins combined for 11 kills in 19 attempts, with no errors. That wouldn't change in the final two sets, as Mullins and Rodriguez Gomez hit .583 and .423, respectively, to lead the Bulls past the Owls in strong fashion out of the break.

The duo received help from Bivins, whose four kills paced USF's third set win. Bivins would collect 12 kills and hit .385 in the match, while adding five blocks. Freshman Alexus Heidelberg stole the show in the fourth set however, knocking down four of her eight kills as the Bulls never trailed, finishing off the Owls in style with a 25-15 decision. The win marked USF's 17th of the season, tying last year's record with a match to go.

Dakota Hampton (10 kills, 11 digs) and Wylie Devlin (23 assists, 10 digs) joined Rodriguez Gomez with double-doubles, and Erin Fairs led the team with 14 digs. The Bulls return to action Friday in Memphis, looking for win No. 18 to close out the season.

 

 

USF Kills Hit Pct. Blocks
Andrea Rodriguez Gomez 12 .423 10
Temple Kills Hit Pct. Digs
Gabriella Matautia 14 .125 12
 
USF Digs
Erin Fairs 14
Temple Digs
Elyse Burkert 18

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Players Mentioned

Erin Fairs

#7 Erin Fairs

OH
5' 11"
Freshman
Kayla Bivins

#5 Kayla Bivins

MB
5' 11"
Redshirt Freshman
Ciara Brown

#23 Ciara Brown

RS/OH
6' 0"
Sophomore
Wylie Devlin

#8 Wylie Devlin

DS/L
5' 7"
Sophomore
Erin Fairs

#7 Erin Fairs

OH
5' 11"
Sophomore
Dakota Hampton

#11 Dakota Hampton

OH
6' 0"
Freshman
Alexus Heidelberg

#16 Alexus Heidelberg

RS/OH
5' 9"
Freshman
Jennica Mullins

#12 Jennica Mullins

MB
6' 1"
Junior
Andrea Rodriguez Gomez

#1 Andrea Rodriguez Gomez

MB
6' 0"
Senior
Amy Van Sant

#4 Amy Van Sant

DS/L
5' 7"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Erin Fairs

#7 Erin Fairs

5' 11"
Freshman
OH
Kayla Bivins

#5 Kayla Bivins

5' 11"
Redshirt Freshman
MB
Ciara Brown

#23 Ciara Brown

6' 0"
Sophomore
RS/OH
Wylie Devlin

#8 Wylie Devlin

5' 7"
Sophomore
DS/L
Erin Fairs

#7 Erin Fairs

5' 11"
Sophomore
OH
Dakota Hampton

#11 Dakota Hampton

6' 0"
Freshman
OH
Alexus Heidelberg

#16 Alexus Heidelberg

5' 9"
Freshman
RS/OH
Jennica Mullins

#12 Jennica Mullins

6' 1"
Junior
MB
Andrea Rodriguez Gomez

#1 Andrea Rodriguez Gomez

6' 0"
Senior
MB
Amy Van Sant

#4 Amy Van Sant

5' 7"
Freshman
DS/L