TAMPA, OCT. 26, 2014 – Three sets decided by two points apiece fell the wrong way Sunday afternoon for the USF volleyball team.

The Bulls (9-13 overall, 3-7 The American) took the first set at The USF Corral, but came up just shy in the next three against Houston falling to the Cougars in four sets, 25-19, 24-26, 29-31, 23-25 to drop just their second home conference match of the season.

USF got big production once again from freshman Priscilla Ehieze, who posted 12 kills while hitting .524, but the Bulls couldn't slow down conference kills leader Kadi Kullerkann, whose 24 kills paced Houston past USF late in the final three sets.

Pulling ahead early in the first, USF established its middle blockers well to open up the offense. Freshman Joli Holland and senior Jennica Mullins combined to put down six kills in seven swings as the Bulls pounded out 18 kills, hitting .325 in a dominant first set. Junior outside hitter Erin Fairs recorded six of her team-high 19 kills as the Bulls rolled to a 25-19 first-set win.

Fairs added another six kills in the second along with seven digs, but it was Houston jumping ahead early. The Cougars pulled ahead by 11 at 18-7, but USF used eight late kills from four different players to erase the deficit, tying the set at 24. Out of a timeout, Houston managed to take the final two points and the set, 26-24.

The teams needed extra points in the third set as well, as USF blocked away three potential set points, getting two from Holland before Houston edged USF 31-29. USF recorded five blocks in the set, and got eight digs from sophomore Amy Van Sant to help extend points in the loss.

The fourth set may have been the closest of the match, as the teams posted 14 different ties throughout the set, and watched the lead change hands five times. Ehieze continued her hot streak, recording five kills and a block to keep USF in striking distance, but Houston's Kullerkann recorded seven kills in the set, leading the Cougars to a 25-23 win.

Fairs nearly posted a 20-kill, 20-dig match, notching 19 of each in the loss, while sophomore Dakota Hampton contributed a team-high 21 digs. Holland led the front line for USF with seven blocks, and Mullins added six as USF out-blocked Houston 13-7.

The Bulls head to UCF Wednesday, turning over the second half of the conference schedule as they face the Knights.