TAMPA (October 29, 2021) – The University of South Florida Bulls (6-16, 0-11 AAC) opened a weekend homestand against Wichita State University (14-6, 8-3 AAC) on Friday night inside The Corral looking to halt the Shockers' seven-match winning streak, but fell victory to the visiting team in straight sets.

Wichita State claimed the match by set scores of 25-18, 25-15, 25-21.

South Florida jumped out to a 9-6 lead in the opening set on a kill by Marta Cvitkovic (Rijeka, Croatia), but the red-hot Shockers answered with a 10-2 run to pull in front and never trailed again. Cvitkovic floored five of her team-best eight kills in the first set.

A kill by Madison Sheffield (St. Augustine) forced a WSU timeout in set two with the Shockers leading 13-10. Wichita State came out of the break on fire and proceeded to run away with the game for a 25-15 win.

Facing a 2-0 match deficit, the Bulls summoned their collective will to make a run at the Shockers late in set three. WSU led by a count of 17-9 before Tizi Puljiz (Resistencia, Argentina) floored a kill and later USF rattled off four straight points to force a Shocker timeout. Amiree Hendricks-Walker (Los Angeles, Calif.) downed back-to-back kills in the run to make it a 20-16 game.

A service ace by CC Clausen cut the Shocker lead to 21-18 and Puljiz dropped an ace to make it a 23-21 affair before the Shockers recorded the final two points of the match.

Puljiz and Hendricks-Walker each finished the match with six kills. Hendricks-Walker and Ally Barnhart (Lenexa, Kan.) tallied two blocks apiece.

Notable

• Clausen has paced the Bulls in digs every match this season and finished the night with 13.
• Kelsey O'Loughlin (Fort Lauderdale) dished out 17 assists to the offense while Madison Bragan (Tampa) recorded eight.
• Wichita State swept the season series from USF and owns a 7-0 all-time record against the Bulls.

Up Next

The Bulls conclude their homestand on Sunday, October 31 against Tulsa at 1 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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