Friday, September 11
Tampa, Fla.
6 p.m.
University of South Florida
1-6,0-0American
1
vs
3
Dayton
5-3,0-0Atlantic 10
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dayton | 26 | 25 | 16 | 25 | 3 |
| South Fla. | 24 | 21 | 25 | 20 | 1 |
Photo by: Lindsey Shimko / South Florida Athletics
South Florida Volleyball Drops Four-Set Battle with Dayton
September 11, 2026 | Women's Volleyball
Sofija Djordjevic and Paula Tomasa set career highs for the Bulls
TAMPA, Fla. (September 11, 2026) – Paula Tomasa posted a career-high in kills, while Sofija Djordjevic notched a career-high in digs as the University of South Florida volleyball team battled Dayton on Friday. The Bulls (1-6) fell to the Flyers (5-3) in a four-set match, 3-1 (26-24, 25-21, 16-25, 25-20).
Tomasa tallied a career-high 19 kills, the most by a Bulls player this season. She recorded the second double-double of her career, adding a career-high 13 digs. Djordjevic produced a match-high 23 digs, a career best. Nina Jioshvili-Ravva notched her fifth double-double of the season, with a match-high 38 assists and 10 digs. As a team, South Florida recorded a season-high four service aces.
After South Florida and Dayton traded points to start the opening set, the Bulls took the lead and extended it to 12-9. The Flyers tied the match at 16-16. The two teams traded blows until Dayton won the first set, 26-24. The second set was a hard-fought battle, with 15 ties and five lead changes. The Flyers took the second set, 25-21.
The Bulls trailed 10-8 midway through the third set, but they stayed focused and rattled off four unanswered points to take a 12-10 lead. With South Florida holding a 16-13 advantage, the Bulls capitalized on a Flyers service error and four strong serves from Ryelle Rondo to extend the USF lead to 21-13. The Bulls won the third set 25-16, forcing a fourth set.
With Dayton ahead 4-3, South Florida used a 5-0 run to take an 8-4 lead. The Flyers tied the fourth set at 13-13. Dayton held a slim 19-18 lead before closing out the match with a 25-20 fourth-set win.
Note-A-Bulls
• Paula Tomasa tallied a career-high 19 kills, the most by a Bulls player this season.
• Sofija Djordjevic recorded a career-high 23 digs.
• Nina Jioshvili-Ravva notched her fifth double-double of the season, with a match-high 38 assists and 10 digs.
• The Bulls recorded a season-best four service aces.
Up Next
The Bulls conclude the South Florida Invitational on Sunday. South Florida plays Michigan on ESPN+ at 6 p.m.
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 tallied a career-high 19 kills, the most by a Bulls player this season. She recorded the second double-double of her career, adding a career-high 13 digs. Djordjevic produced a match-high 23 digs, a career best. Nina Jioshvili-Ravva notched her fifth double-double of the season, with a match-high 38 assists and 10 digs. As a team, South Florida recorded a season-high four service aces.
After South Florida and Dayton traded points to start the opening set, the Bulls took the lead and extended it to 12-9. The Flyers tied the match at 16-16. The two teams traded blows until Dayton won the first set, 26-24. The second set was a hard-fought battle, with 15 ties and five lead changes. The Flyers took the second set, 25-21.
The Bulls trailed 10-8 midway through the third set, but they stayed focused and rattled off four unanswered points to take a 12-10 lead. With South Florida holding a 16-13 advantage, the Bulls capitalized on a Flyers service error and four strong serves from Ryelle Rondo to extend the USF lead to 21-13. The Bulls won the third set 25-16, forcing a fourth set.
With Dayton ahead 4-3, South Florida used a 5-0 run to take an 8-4 lead. The Flyers tied the fourth set at 13-13. Dayton held a slim 19-18 lead before closing out the match with a 25-20 fourth-set win.
Note-A-Bulls
• Paula Tomasa tallied a career-high 19 kills, the most by a Bulls player this season.
• Sofija Djordjevic recorded a career-high 23 digs.
• Nina Jioshvili-Ravva notched her fifth double-double of the season, with a match-high 38 assists and 10 digs.
• The Bulls recorded a season-best four service aces.
Up Next
The Bulls conclude the South Florida Invitational on Sunday. South Florida plays Michigan on ESPN+ at 6 p.m.
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
L
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
L
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's VolleyballTeam Stats
UD
USF
Kills
58
51
Errors
22
23
Attempts
153
144
Hitting %
.235
.194
Points
68.0
65.0
Assists
57
49
Aces
5
4
Blocks
5
10
Game Leaders
Kills
19
Aces
1
Blocks
3
Kills
10
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
6
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
4
Aces
1
Blocks
4
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