USF Athletics

TAMPA, NOVEMBER 11, 2018 – The USF volleyball team fell to Cincinnati on Senior Day Sunday afternoon (22-25, 12-25, 19-25).

The Bulls (19-9. 8-7 The American) were playing catchup for much of the opening set. Jac'cara Walker (Gainesville, Fla.) and Lindsey Pliapol (Daytona Beach, Fla.) had a combined 11 kills to keep USF within striking distance of the Bearcats (22-7, 12-3 The American), which came into the weekend at No. 23 in the latest RPI ranking. A Walker kill made it 22-21 in favor of Cincinnati. The Bearcats ended the set scoring three of the last four points to take the frame.

The Bearcats used a 7-0 run to end the second set and go up 2-0. In her final home game, redshirt senior Clara Payne (Osteen, Fla.) came alive in the third set to extend the match, tallying four kills on just six attacks.

The Bulls kept it tight midway through the set, but a 4-0 run made it 17-12 Cincinnati. USF pulled to within four on two occasions, but the Bearcats were able to close it out in straight sets.

Notables

• Freshman setter Lauren LaBeck (Chicago) had 26 assists, five kills and four digs.
• Walker finished with nine kills and Pliapol had 10 kills.
• The Bulls finished the season 9-6 at home.

Up Next
The Bulls travel to Texas for a Friday night clash at Houston followed by a contest at SMU Sunday, Nov. 18.  

About USF Volleyball
Led by redshirt senior middle blocker Clara Payne, who paced the team with 300 points and finished seventh in The American with a .290 hitting percentage, USF and seventh-year head coach Courtney Draper are excited for 2018. Senior setter Briana Stowell finished second on the team in 2017 with 243 assists and averaged 22.3 per match in the final month of the year. The Bulls are welcoming six new faces to the roster, with five talented freshmen and a skilled outside hitter coming from Marshall University.
 
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