TAMPA, FL., October 30, 2024 – The University of South Florida volleyball team (13-9, 9-2 AAC) earned an early Halloween treat with a 3-1 win over the Florida Atlantic Owls (13-10, 5-6 AAC) on Wednesday night.
 
The Bulls won with scores of 26-28, 25-18, 25-19, 25-18.
 
Naiya Sawtelle extended her double-digit kill streak to eight straight matches with 19 kills tonight. She also recorded her first double-double of the season with 10 digs. Maria Clara Andrade finished with 15 kills and 10 digs for her sixth double-double of 2024. She stretched her double-digit kill streak to 16 matches.
 
Caroline Dykes dished out 48 assists to bring her career total to 3,934. She needs 66 more to reach 4,000. Dykes recorded her 10^th double-double of the season.
 
Lia Schneider set a career-high of 27 digs, stretching her double-digit dig streak to eight matches. She has recorded 20+ digs in the last six matches.
 
Samiha Foster and Jazeli Vandenburgh led the Bulls with three service aces. For Foster, it's her 10^th match with multiple service aces and her third straight. Vandenburgh set a career-high with her three aces.
 
The first set included seven ties, with five coming after being tied at 22. The Bulls fought back from a four-point deficit, but the Owls took set one.
 
South Florida was down 6-3 in the second set but fought back to take the lead behind a 6-0 run. Florida Atlantic closed South Florida's lead to two, but the Bulls tied the match with a 25-18 set-two win.
 
South Florida and Florida Atlantic tied four times in the third set, but the Bulls never trailed. The Bulls' largest lead was six when they took the set at 25-19.
 
South Florida was ready to slam the door on the match, taking a commanding 17-11 lead. The Owls went on a late 3-0 run, but the Bulls took the final set, 25-18.
 
NOTABLES

• The Bulls stay on top of the American Athletic Conference.
• The Bulls need four more conference wins to match last season's win total.  
• Andrade stretched her double-digit kill streak to 16 matches, Sawtelle to eight, and Schneider stretched her double-digit dig streak to eight.
• Sawtelle, Andrade, and Dykes finished with a double-double.
• Vandenburgh set a career-high of three service aces.
• Schneider set a career-high of 27 digs.
• Dykes need 66 assists to reach 4,000 in her career.
• Foster has recorded multiple service aces in the last three matches.

 
UP NEXT
South Florida will welcome the Temple Owls on Friday, November 1 for the annual Salute to Service match. The first serve is set for 6 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.