TAMPA, Sept. 5, 2025 – In front of a spirited Yuengling Center crowd of 2,075, the University of South Florida volleyball team battled through momentum swings and late drama to secure a five-set victory over in-state foe Florida State on Friday night.
The Bulls (1-3) delivered a resilient performance, taking the match 3-2 (25-22, 25-17, 20-25, 25-27, 15-12) behind a balanced attack and dominant presence at the net. USF posted nine team blocks and hit .309 on the night, including a clutch .261 mark in the decisive fifth set.
South Florida seized control early, holding off a Seminole rally to claim the opening frame, then showed poise in a back-and-forth second set that ended in extra points. Florida State responded with strong play in the third, then edged the Bulls in a marathon fourth to push the match to a winner-take-all fifth set.
The decisive frame saw the Bulls regain momentum with timely kills and defensive stands. After weathering a late Seminole push, USF closed out the match on a service ace that sent the home crowd into celebration.
With the win, USF improves to 1-3 on the season while handing Florida State its first loss (2-1).
 
Notables

• The Bulls defeated the Seminoles for the first time since December 6, 2002.
• Taelyn Bentley made her collegiate debut with nine kills, six blocks, and two digs.
• Addy Brus recorded her first double-double of the season. She had 16 kills and 12 digs.
• Maria Clara Andrade has her third straight match with double-digit kills.
• Samiha Foster has back-to-back matches with double-digit digs.
• Arianna Beckham recorded her third double-digit kill match of the season.
• Breanna McMillan made her collegiate debut.
• Sarah White dished out 31 assists, while Raegan Richardson dished out 29.

Up Next
The Bulls will close out the South Florida Invitational on Sunday, September 7, against the South Carolina Gamecocks. The first serve is set for 1 p.m. inside the Corral. The match will be streamed on 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.