CLEARWATER BEACH, Fla., March 27, 2026 – The University of South Florida beach volleyball team earned two wins on day one in Clearwater during the program's first home competition, sweeping Sam Houston, 5–0, before defeating UTEP, 4–1.
 
With the pair of victories, South Florida extended its winning streak to 10 matches and improved to 3–0 in Conference USA play.
 
South Florida controlled the day from top to bottom, winning nine of 10 courts across the two duals and continuing its strong early-season momentum.
 
South Florida 5, Sam Houston 0
The Bulls secured the sweep with wins across all five courts, highlighted by four straight-set victories and a three-set battle.
 
Tereza Lajkebova and Kate Stewart (Pair 4) were the first to secure a point for South Florida with a 21–16, 21–10 victory. Zoey Mitchell and Josephine Sek (Pair 2) followed with a three-set win taking the match 21–14, 21–23, 15–9.
 
Morgan Anderson and Alyx Zapatka (Pair 5) added another point with a 21–12, 21–13 victory, before Sasha Pasloski and Isabella Almeida (Pair 3) earned a 21–14, 21–19 win to keep the Bulls rolling.
 
Julia Panko and Cornelia Crudu (Pair 1) rounded out the sweep with a 21–11, 21–14 victory to cap the 5–0 team result.
 
South Florida 4, UTEP 1
South Florida closed out the day with a 4–1 win over UTEP, earning its second Conference USA victory of the afternoon.
 
Isabella Almeida and Zoey Mitchell (Pair 2) put the Bulls on the board first with a 21–13, 21–16 straight-set victory. Julia Panko and Cornelia Crudu (Pair 1) followed in a tightly contested three-set battle, falling 17–21 in the opening set before rallying for a 21–15 second-set win and a 15–11 third-set victory.
 
Tereza Lajkebova and Kate Stewart (Pair 4) added another point for South Florida after bouncing back from a 29–27 opening-set loss to win the final two sets, 21–16, 15–9.
 
Sasha Pasloski and Josephine Sek (Pair 3) rounded out the Bulls' scoring with a 21–17, 16–21, 15–11 three-set victory.
 
Morgan Anderson and Alyx Zapatka (Pair 5) also earned a straight-set win, 23–21, 21–19, in another strong performance for South Florida.
 
UP NEXT
South Florida continues play Saturday in day two of the Home Stampede Beach Opener in Clearwater. The Bulls will face Sacramento State at 10:30 a.m. before taking on UAB at 1 p.m.
 
Note-A-Bulls:
• First Home Competition — South Florida hosted its first home dual in program history in Clearwater.
• Conference Momentum — The Bulls earned two Conference USA victories on the day and improved to 3–0 in league play.
• 10 Straight — South Florida extended its winning streak to 10 matches.
• Team Sweep — South Florida earned wins on all five courts in the dual.
• Lineup Depth — South Florida won nine of 10 courts across the two duals.


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About USF Beach Volleyball
The University of South Florida Beach Volleyball program is the newest program in the now 21-team USF Athletics program. South Florida Beach Volleyball joined Conference USA on July 1, 2025. Pri Piantadosi-Lima was named South Florida's first-ever beach volleyball head coach on June 6, 2023. She also serves as the head coach of USAV Beach and the national team development program and was honored as the 2022 USA Volleyball Female Junior Coach of the Year. Before joining South Florida, Piantadosi-Lima helped launch the Eckerd College program in 2015 as an assistant coach and helped lead the program to its first AVCA national championship and two consecutive NCAA championship podium finishes.


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