Down one set to none, USF won three straight sets to record the victory

TAMPA, Oct. 27, 2016 – The University of South Florida volleyball team (16-7, 7-4 The American) surged from a one set deficit to top East Carolina (14-7, 4-7 The American) three sets to one on Thursday evening.

After falling in the first set 25-20, USF rallied back with scores of 25-17, 25-23, and 25-15 to earn the win.

Senior outside hitter T'ara Austin (Joliet, Ill.) recorded 15 kills in the match for the Bulls. Fellow senior Dakota Hampton (Joliet, Ill.) also added 11 kills off the bench to fuel the USF win.

The Bulls dropped the first set despite four kills from redshirt junior Hannah Smith (Fleming Island, Fla.).

Five USF players tallied multiple kills in the set two victory that evened up the match.

Tied one set a piece, the Bulls utilized 14 assists from junior setter Alex Mendoza (Minneola, Fla.) to win the third set. She finished with 43 assists.

Looking to close out the match, senior Amy Van Sant's serving created a 9-0 run for the Bulls in the fourth set. The Atlanta native also posted seven of her 20 digs in the final set.

Quotables:

• USF head coach Courtney Draper on ECU and her team's resiliency: “They have a very good team and I'm just thankful that our kids buckled down in the second through fourths sets to get it done.”
• Draper on Austin's performance: “T'ara brings a ton of energy to our team, both offensively and defensively. She is a feisty player herself and in tight situations, she has a lot of confidence to go up there and get the kills that we need.”
• Austin on Hampton's impact: “She definitely provided energy and leadership…she stepped up and did great tonight.”

 Key Stat:

• The Bulls out-blocked the Pirates 10-4 in the match.

Notables:

• USF is 8-2 all-time against ECU including a 4-1 mark at home.
• The Bulls are 5-1 under Coach Draper versus the Pirates.
• Austin completed the match with 15 kills, seven digs and a career-high five blocks.
• Hampton is now seven kills shy of 1,000 in her USF career.
• Payne posted nine kills and six blocks.  
• The USF ROTC and Color Guard were on hand for Salute to Service night. Members of the MacDill Air Force base and other veterans were also in attendance. All servicemen and women were honored during the match.

Up Next:

USF continues its season-high five match homestand when the Bulls play Cincinnati on Saturday. There will be an alumni brunch at 11:30 a.m. and the team will honor all attending alumni with an on-court presentation between the second and third sets. Those interested in attending can RSVP to Abby Ritter. She can be reached by calling (813) 974-4223 or by email at abritter@usf.edu .

First serve is set for 1 p.m. at The Corral.

Tickets are only $5 and fans can purchase their tickets HERE.

About USF Volleyball

The USF volleyball program has reached the NCAA Tournament seven times and boasts seven conference championships. In 2016, the Bulls return 10 players from last season including their top eight point scorers from a year ago. USF also brings back senior outside hitter Dakota Hampton (Orland Park, Ill.), who was named to the 2016 American Athletic Conference preseason team. The 6-0 start was the program's longest winning streak to begin a season since 2000. The Bulls are guided by fifth year head coach Courtney Draper. Follow the volleyball team on social media (Twitter | Facebook | Instagram) and visit GoUSFBulls.com for the most up-to-date information.  

– #GoBulls –