TAMPA, Fla., September 28, 2024 – The University of South Florida women's volleyball team (5-7, 1-0 AAC) set a season-high of 14 service aces in the sweep over the Charlotte 49ers (3-11, 0-1 AAC) to open conference play on Saturday afternoon.
 
The Bulls won with scores of 25-19, 25-18, 25-16.
 
Maria Clara Andrade (Sao Paulo, Brazil) and Samiha Foster (Laurel, Md.) served three aces to lead the Bulls today, their highest of the season. Andrade complimented her three aces with 16 kills for her sixth straight double-digit kill performance.
 
Seven Bulls served an ace today. Tizi Puljiz (Resistencia, Argentina), Naiya Sawtelle (Stuart), and Caroline Dykes (Flower Mound, Texas) had two, while Lia Schneider (St. Charles, Illinois) and Jazeli Vandenburgh (Murrieta, Calif.) served one. Sawtelle is now six aces away from 100 in her career.
 
Puljiz had the lone block solo for the Bulls today, as well as a block assist for a career total of 197, three away from the 200 milestone.
 
South Florida started conference play by holding Charlotte to a -.200 hitting percentage through the first 17 points. From there, the Bulls coasted to a 25-19 win, led by Andrade's seven kills.
 
The momentum from the Bulls carried into the second set, jumping to an 18-11 lead. South Florida set a season-high of nine service aces before the set was over.
 
Set three was all South Florida as the Bulls took a commanding 18-10 lead. The 49ers had a late 4-0 run, but the Bulls took the match with kills from Sawtelle and Andrade.
 
NOTABLES

• Andrade stretched her double-digit performance streak to six matches.
• Seven Bulls served an ace in the match. Andrade and Foster led with three.
• Sawtelle is six aces away from 100 in her career.
• Puljiz is three blocks away from reaching 200 in her career.
• The Bulls held the 49ers to a .130 hitting percentage as a team while hitting .266.
• The Bulls scored 61 points while holding the 49ers to 29.

 
UP NEXT
South Florida will continue conference play as the East Carolina Pirates roll in tomorrow. The first serve is set for 2 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.