PHILADELPHIA, Pa. (October 15, 2021) – The University of South Florida Bulls (6-13, 0-8 AAC) were in command early on Friday night, but Temple (5-13, 1-6 AAC) overcame a 2-0 deficit and came from behind for a 3-2 win on its home court as both teams were seeking their first conference win of the season.
The Bulls fell by set scores of 25-21, 25-22, 22-25, 15-25, 13-15.
Marta Cvitkovic led all players with a season-best 23 kills. It marked the sixth time in career of flooring at least 20 kills in a match. Cvitkovic also downed 23 kills in a match against Temple last season.
True freshman Tizi Puljiz (Resistencia, Argentina) tied a career high with 14 kills on Friday night.
USF never trailed in sets one or two before Temple edged the Bulls in set three to extend the match. The Owls then pulled away midway through set four to force the decisive fifth game.
In set five, Temple arrived at match point with a 14-8 advantage. USF proceeded to score five unanswered points to prolong the game before the Owls' leading offensive player, Gem Grimshaw, downed the final point of the match.
Temple's 18 blocks in the match were one of the deciding factors as USF committed 30 attacking errors and hit .199 on the night. The Bulls recorded 11 blocks while the Owls owned a .254 attacking percentage.
Both teams dropped seven aces from the service line, but USF had 11 service errors while Temple misfired on just four attempts. Â
Notable
- In three career matches vs. Temple, Cvitkovic has totaled 62 kills and 26 digs.
- Puljiz has tallied 44 kills over her last four matches.
- Kelsey O'Loughlin (Fort Lauderdale) dished out 47 assists on Friday.
- CC Clausen (The Woodlands, Texas) led all players in the match with 16 digs.
- Ally Barnhart (Lenexa, Kan.) matched a season high with seven blocks.
Up Next
The Bulls will head back on the road next weekend for matches at Memphis (Oct. 22) and SMU (Oct. 24).
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.
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