Friday, August 28
Lexington, Ky.
2 p.m.
University of South Florida
0-1,0-0American
2
vs
3
Eastern Kentucky
1-0,0-0WAC
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Fla. | 25 | 10 | 19 | 25 | 13 | 2 |
| Eastern Ky. | 19 | 25 | 25 | 18 | 15 | 3 |
Photo by: Chad Smith / South Florida Athletics
South Florida Volleyball Falls in Five-Set Battle with Eastern Kentucky
August 28, 2026 | Women's Volleyball
Paula Tomasa led the Bulls in kills in her debut for the Green and Gold
LEXINGTON, Ky. (August 28, 2026) – The University of South Florida opened the 2026 season against Eastern Kentucky on Friday. Paula Tomasa and Iyanna Garvin led the Bulls' offense as they both recorded double-digit kills in the opening match of the Bluegrass Battle. South Florida (0-1) fell to Eastern Kentucky (1-0) 3-2 (25-19, 10-25, 19-25, 25-18, 13-15).
Tomasa led the Bulls offensively with 15 kills, while Garvin delivered a career-best 14 kills. Nina Jioshvili-Ravva orchestrated the South Florida attack with 45 assists and 10 digs, recording a double-double. Defensively, Miya Thomas anchored the Bulls with a game-high 18 digs.
EKU held a 13-8 lead midway through the first set, but South Florida was unfazed and rattled off five unanswered points to tie the set at 13-13. The two sides continued trading points. The Bulls closed out the opening set with an 8-2 run, taking it 25-19. Tomasa led the Bulls with five kills.
The Colonels won the second and third sets, 25-10 and 25-19.
South Florida remained resilient and kept fighting in the fourth set. With the score tied at 10-10, the Bulls scored three straight points to take a 14-11 lead midway through the fourth. USF continued to pressure EKU and pulled away for a 25-18 fourth-set victory.
The Colonels opened the fifth set with a 6-2 run. The Bulls stayed focused and scored the next three points to cut the deficit to 6-5. EKU extended its lead to 11-7, but USF closed the gap to one, 11-10. The Bulls kept battling but could not climb back from the early deficit. The Colonels won the final set, 15-13.
Note-A-Bulls
• Paula Tomasa led the Bulls with 15 kills.
• Iyanna Garvin recorded a career-high 14 kills.
• Nina Jioshvili-Ravva dished out 45 assists and added 10 digs for a double-double.
• Miya Thomas posted a game-high 18 digs.
Up Next
The Bulls return to the court Saturday for their second match in the Bluegrass Battle. South Florida faces No. 3 Kentucky at 6 p.m. on SECN+.
Follow South Florida Volleyball
For the latest updates from South Florida Athletics, visit GoUSFBulls.com. Follow the Bulls on X / Instagram / Facebook
Get your tickets today!
Call 1-800-GO-BULLS (1-800-462-8557) or email BullsTickets@usf.edu to claim your season or single-game tickets. You can also download the South Florida Bulls app on the Android or Apple stores to purchase tickets and parking. Visit USFBullsTix.com for more information.
About South Florida Volleyball
Head coach Jolene Shepardson enters her seventh season at the helm of her alma mater in 2026. Named head coach on January 8, 2020, as a player she helped lead the Bulls to two conference championships and a pair of NCAA tournament appearances. As head coach, she led the Bulls back to the NCAA Tournament in 2025 for the first time since she was a player in 2002 and guided USF to the 2024 AAC regular-season championship, earning her first Coach of the Year Honor. In 2023, the Bulls won the American Conference East Division, made a postseason appearance in the NIVC, and advanced to the Fab Four to mark the longest postseason run in program history.
South Florida Volleyball has won nine Player of the Year honors, most recently with Maria Clara Andrade winning American Conference honors in back-to-back years in 2024 and 2025. The Bulls have also earned four Setter of the Year honors, most recently with Caroline Dykes being recognized in 2024.
South Florida volleyball has made eight NCAA Tournament appearances and won 13 conference titles since the program's inception in 1972. The Bulls play in The Corral (1,000), located adjacent to the Yuengling Center on the USF campus in Tampa.
Tomasa led the Bulls offensively with 15 kills, while Garvin delivered a career-best 14 kills. Nina Jioshvili-Ravva orchestrated the South Florida attack with 45 assists and 10 digs, recording a double-double. Defensively, Miya Thomas anchored the Bulls with a game-high 18 digs.
EKU held a 13-8 lead midway through the first set, but South Florida was unfazed and rattled off five unanswered points to tie the set at 13-13. The two sides continued trading points. The Bulls closed out the opening set with an 8-2 run, taking it 25-19. Tomasa led the Bulls with five kills.
The Colonels won the second and third sets, 25-10 and 25-19.
South Florida remained resilient and kept fighting in the fourth set. With the score tied at 10-10, the Bulls scored three straight points to take a 14-11 lead midway through the fourth. USF continued to pressure EKU and pulled away for a 25-18 fourth-set victory.
The Colonels opened the fifth set with a 6-2 run. The Bulls stayed focused and scored the next three points to cut the deficit to 6-5. EKU extended its lead to 11-7, but USF closed the gap to one, 11-10. The Bulls kept battling but could not climb back from the early deficit. The Colonels won the final set, 15-13.
Note-A-Bulls
• Paula Tomasa led the Bulls with 15 kills.
• Iyanna Garvin recorded a career-high 14 kills.
• Nina Jioshvili-Ravva dished out 45 assists and added 10 digs for a double-double.
• Miya Thomas posted a game-high 18 digs.
Up Next
The Bulls return to the court Saturday for their second match in the Bluegrass Battle. South Florida faces No. 3 Kentucky at 6 p.m. on SECN+.
Follow South Florida Volleyball
For the latest updates from South Florida Athletics, visit GoUSFBulls.com. Follow the Bulls on X / Instagram / Facebook
Get your tickets today!
Call 1-800-GO-BULLS (1-800-462-8557) or email BullsTickets@usf.edu to claim your season or single-game tickets. You can also download the South Florida Bulls app on the Android or Apple stores to purchase tickets and parking. Visit USFBullsTix.com for more information.
About South Florida Volleyball
Head coach Jolene Shepardson enters her seventh season at the helm of her alma mater in 2026. Named head coach on January 8, 2020, as a player she helped lead the Bulls to two conference championships and a pair of NCAA tournament appearances. As head coach, she led the Bulls back to the NCAA Tournament in 2025 for the first time since she was a player in 2002 and guided USF to the 2024 AAC regular-season championship, earning her first Coach of the Year Honor. In 2023, the Bulls won the American Conference East Division, made a postseason appearance in the NIVC, and advanced to the Fab Four to mark the longest postseason run in program history.
South Florida Volleyball has won nine Player of the Year honors, most recently with Maria Clara Andrade winning American Conference honors in back-to-back years in 2024 and 2025. The Bulls have also earned four Setter of the Year honors, most recently with Caroline Dykes being recognized in 2024.
South Florida volleyball has made eight NCAA Tournament appearances and won 13 conference titles since the program's inception in 1972. The Bulls play in The Corral (1,000), located adjacent to the Yuengling Center on the USF campus in Tampa.
Players Mentioned
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
L
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's VolleyballTeam Stats
USF
EKU
Kills
56
62
Errors
25
24
Attempts
150
150
Hitting %
.207
.253
Points
70.0
71.5
Assists
52
58
Aces
3
2
Blocks
11
7.5
Game Leaders
Kills
15
Aces
1
Blocks
2
Kills
14
Aces
0
Blocks
6
Kills
8
Aces
1
Blocks
1
Kills
7
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Wednesday, February 04
Saturday, December 06
Friday, December 05
Tuesday, December 02
