TAMPA (October 13, 2021) – The University of South Florida Bulls (6-12, 0-7 AAC) itched closer and closer as the match went on, but could not overcome the three-time defending American champion UCF Knights (13-6, 6-1 AAC) in a War On I-4 battle on Wednesday night.

The match was played inside the Yuengling Center in front of a lively crowd of 1,723.

UCF claimed the match in three sets by scores of 25-13, 25-15, 25-23.

The Knights entered the contest ranked seventh in the nation in blocks and met their match in that category Wednesday as both teams finished with six stuffs at the net.

After UCF took the first two sets of the match, the Bulls refused to go down easily in the third game. Ally Barnhart (Lenexa, Kan.), Marta Cvitkovic (Rijeka, Croatia) and Tizi Puljiz (Resistencia, Argentina) combined for seven kills in the final set of the contest.

A block by Barnhart and Cvitkovic knotted the third set at 5-5 in the midst of four unanswered points that saw the Bulls claim a 7-5 edge. UCF responded with five straight points before Barnhart floored back-to-back kills ahead of an attacking error by the Knights to once again tie the game at 10-10.

The Knights pulled away by a count of 19-12, but the home team, willed by the fans, put up one last stand.

Facing match point at 24-20, Puljiz and Amiree Hendricks-Walker combined for a block to spark a three-point run to cut the UCF lead to 24-23. However, a long rally on the next serve finally fell for the Knights to secure match point.

Notable

• Six of UCF's 13 wins this season have come in straight sets.
• Cvitkovic led USF with seven kills on the night.
• Kelsey O'Loughlin (Fort Lauderdale) dished out 16 assists.
• CC Clausen (The Woodlands, Texas) reached double digits in digs (11) for the 14th time this season.

Up Next

The Bulls next three matches will be on the road beginning with a tilt at Temple on Friday, October 15 at 7 p.m.

About USF Volleyball

Head coach Jolene Shepardson enters her second season at the helm of her alma mater in 2021-22. Named head coach on Jan. 8, 2020, Shepardson led the Bulls' program to its last conference championship and NCAA tournament appearance as a student-athlete in 2002. USF made its last postseason appearance in 2018, posting 20 wins and appearing in the NIVC. USF Volleyball has made seven NCAA Tournament appearances and won 12 conference titles since its inception in 1972 and is entering its 50th campaign in 2021-22. The Bulls play in The Corral (1,000), adjacent to the Yuengling Center on the USF campus.
 
Be sure to follow USF women's volleyball on social media (Twitter/Instagram/Facebook) and visit GoUSFBulls.com for the most up-to-date information. 

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