KNOXVILLE, Tenn., Aug. 29, 2025 – The University of South Florida volleyball team battled to the wire in its 2025 season opener but fell just short in a five-set thriller against Purdue, 3–2 (23-25, 25-10, 25-17, 21-25, 15-10), on Friday at the Food City Center.
The Bulls (0-1) set the tone early, storming back from a late deficit to capture the opening frame, 25-23. Senior Maria Clara Andrade, the reigning American Athletic Conference Player of the Year, provided key kills, while Raegan Richardson and Laila Ivey closed the set with a run of clutch points.
Purdue (1-0) answered with strong serving and efficient hitting to take control in sets two and three. Despite the momentum shift, USF responded in the fourth, where Imani Hartfield and Iyanna Garvin sparked the offense at the net. Andrade and Ivey capped the frame with timely kills to secure a 25-21 win and force a decisive fifth set.
In the final frame, the teams traded points before the Boilermakers used a late push to close the match, 15-10.
Notables
Up Next
The Bulls will continue the Tennessee Classic tonight at 6:30 with a match against hosts, the Tennessee Lady Vols. The match will be streamed on SECN+ and ESPN+.
Tickets
Fans can purchase women's volleyball tickets by calling 1-800-GoBulls or at USFBullsTix.com. The 2025 Olympic Pass can be purchased here.
Follow
Be sure to follow USF women's volleyball on social media (X / Instagram / Facebook) and visit GoUSFBulls.com for the most up-to-date information.
About USF Volleyball
Head coach Jolene Shepardson enters her sixth season at the helm of her alma mater in 2025. Named head coach on January 8, 2020, Shepardson led the Bulls to a conference championship and the program's last NCAA tournament appearance as a student-athlete in 2002. South Florida won the 2024 AAC regular-season title, earning Jolene Shepardson her first Coach of the Year Honor. In 2023, the Bulls won the AAC East Division title, made a postseason appearance in the NIVC, won three matches, and advanced to the Fab Four to mark the longest postseason run in program history. South Florida Volleyball has won eight Player of the Year honors, most recently in Maria Clara Andrade in 2024. The Bulls have also had four Setter of the Year honors, most recently in Caroline Dykes in 2024. South Florida has made seven NCAA Tournament appearances and won 13 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 in Tampa.
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