BOCA RATON, FLA., October 20, 2024 – The University of South Florida volleyball team (11-8, 7-1 AAC) dropped its first conference match on Sunday against the Florida Atlantic Owls (12-8, 4-4 AAC).
 
The Bulls lost with scores of 21-25, 17-25, 27-25, 14-25.
 
Maria Clara Andrade and Naiya Sawtelle led the match with 18 kills. At the start of the second set, Andrade reached the 1,000-kill milestone with her fifth kill. She stretched her double-digit kill streak to 13 matches, while Sawtelle stretched hers to six.
 
Caroline Dykes dished out 47 assists, bringing her season total to 763. She finished with three blocks.
 
Defensively, Lia Schneider led with 20 digs. She served the only ace for the Bulls. At the net, Imani Hartfield led the Bulls with five blocks. Andrade followed with four.
 
Florida Atlantic took the early lead in the opening set and held it throughout. The Owls grew their lead to as large as five points, but the Bulls fought back to within two, 21-23 but FAU closed out the first set.
 
FAU hit .500 as a team in the second set, while South Florida hit .207. The Owls took the two-set lead with a 25-17 second set win.
 
The Bulls were two points from being swept, 20-23 but closed out the third set on a 7-2 run to force a fourth set.
 
The final set belonged to the Owls, who led as much as 11 points, the largest lead in the match.
 
NOTABLES

• Andrade surpassed the 1,000-kill mark in her career. She hit it to open the second set.
• Andrade extended her double-digit kill streak to 13 matches, while Sawtelle's is six.
• The Bulls had nine total blocks.
• Hartfield led with five block assists.
• Andrade had the only block solo for the Bulls.

 
UP NEXT
South Florida heads back to Texas next weekend to take on North Texas and UTSA. The Bulls and Mean Green will face off on Friday, October 25, at 7 p.m. Two days later, South Florida and UTSA will close the week on Sunday at 3 p.m.
 
About USF Volleyball
Head coach Jolene Shepardson enters her fifth season at the helm of her alma mater in 2024. 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. Earning the AAC East Division title in 2023, South Florida made a postseason appearance in the NIVC, winning three games and advancing to the Fab Four to mark the longest postseason run in program history. South Florida Volleyball has made seven NCAA Tournament appearances and won 12 conference titles since its inception in 1972. The Bulls play in The Corral (1,000), located 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.