TAMPA, Aug. 26, 2017 – The University of South Florida volleyball team split the USF Invitational on Saturday, defeating UAPB in straight sets to start the day (25-8, 25-14, 25-20) before falling to the tournament champs LSU in three sets (17-25, 15-25, 21-25).
 
UAPB MATCH

The Bulls (1-2) were dominant in the opening match of the day, jumping out to a lead as high as 19 in the first set against the Golden Lions (0-3). After an efficient second set in which the Bulls never trailed, UAPB made things interesting in the third set, cutting the deficit to just two. But USF finished the match with the final three points on a pair of kills and an Alex Mendoza (Minneola, Fla.) ace.
 
LSU MATCH

The Bulls kept things close in the opening set against the Tigers (3-0), but ultimately dropped the frame 17-25. With the second set reading 9-8 in favor of LSU, the eventual tournament champs went on a 9-0 run to create separation and take it 25-15. The Bulls showed great grit and fire in the third set. Facing match point, down 17-24, USF kept balls alive on the defensive end and forced the Tigers into four-straight attack errors to trim the margin to 21-24. But LSU was able to seal the match during the next rally and win in straight-sets despite a contest-high 13 kills from senior Priscilla Ehieze (Houston, Texas).
 
TOURNAMENT NOTABLES

Tournament Champs: LSU
 
Tournament MVP: Anna Zwiebel, LSU
 
All-Tournament Team:
 
Anna Zweibel, LSU
 
Raigan Cianciulli, LSU
 
Taylor Bannister, LSU
 
Priscilla Ehieze, USF

Clara Payne, USF
 
Gabby Hazen, Northwestern
 
Symone Abbott, Northwestern
 
Taylor Sheppy, UAPB
 
 
QUOTABLES: 

Head coach Courtney Draper on the weekend as a whole:
"We played some really talented teams this weekend from some very good conferences which is great to have in these early season tournaments. We could have been more efficient at times, but we played at a quick pace and were still able to execute very well throughout the weekend."
 
Head coach Courtney Draper on the strong start against UAPB:
"We were very sharp to start the day especially that opening set. We had 15 girls play which great to see everyone get experience. Some of our younger players getting that playing time early on in the year is what's going to make us deeper and better down the road."
 
Head coach Courtney Draper on Priscilla Ehieze's performance:
"I couldn't be more proud of Priscilla and the effort she has been putting in. She can be a dominant player and has found that consistency we always knew she was capable of playing with. So far the hard work she put in is paying off."

Senior outside hitter Priscilla Ehieze on the experience of hosting the season's first tournament:
"It was a great experience seeing everyone come together for the first time with so many new girls this year. We showed a lot of potential and executed some things very well in all three matches.
 
Senior outside hitter Priscilla Ehieze on the team's passion and energy:
"We all have an awesome mentality this year and will do anything to win. We're trying to play with a chip on our shoulder and it's giving us a ton of confidence no matter who we play or what the scoreboard says."
 
KEY STATS

• Ehieze led the USF Invitational with a .520 attack percentage (29 kills).  
• Redshirt-junior middle blocker Clara Payne (Osteen, Fla.) tallied 13 kills and six blocks.
• Senior middle blocker Joli Holland (Dublin, Calif.) led the tournament with 0.80 blocks per set.
• Junior libero Maria McLamb (Wesley Chapel, Fla.) led the Invitational with 4.50 digs per set.  
• Mendoza led the Bulls with 61 assists over the weekend.  

 
NOTABLES

• Ehieze's 13 kills against LSU were a career-high.   
• Freshmen Doris Carter (Lexington, Ky.) and Nikkia Benitez (Miami) had strong opening weekends with a combined 31 kills.

UP NEXT
The Bulls travel to Starkville, Ms. for the Bulldog Invitational September 1-2. USF will face Stephen F. Austin, Mississippi State and Grambling State.  


About USF Volleyball
In addition to 10 newcomers, USF returns a slew of talent for 2017, led by senior setter Alex Mendoza, who surpassed the 2,000 assist total in 2016 and led the Bulls with 1,125 helpers. Redshirt-junior middle blocker Clara Payne finished second on the team with 340 points and senior middle blocker Joli Holland finished fourth with 251.5. The Bulls are guided by sixth-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 –