Photo courtesy of Jorden Pompey
By Jorden Pompey
The University of South Florida volleyball team closed out their season against the University of Rice Owls in a nail biting 3-2 win.
The American Athletic Conference East Division Champions were led by Sophomore Outside Hitter Buse Hazan. Hazan had a game high of 17 kills followed by Sophomore Outside Hitter Maria Clara Andrade with 15 kills.
Junior Setter Caroline Dykes set a milestone of 1,000 assists on the season as she averages nine assists per set.
This matchup was nothing short of an edge of your seat thriller. The Bulls came out the gate with a 25-18 score in the first set.
Rice bounced back in the second set in commanding fashion winning 12-25
Trading blows in the third set, the Bulls had set point in their sights until the owls went on a 3-0 to go into extra points. The Bulls closed the set with three straight points to win 28-26.
Once again, the responded accordingly winning the fourth set 18-25
The final set started with fast two points, but the Owls went on a 5-1 run to take the lead. With the Owls two points away from winning the match, Hazan closed out the game with a 3-0 and the game clinching ace. Bulls won the set 15-13.
Head Coach Jolene Shepardson mentioned that is just the foundation of building the USF volleyball program.
“I came here to change this program to be back at the level that I was playing when I was here and it just feels like kind of that opening door to be able to walk through and those accomplishments and those accolades, so it’s just a feeling of openness like it’s happening,” Shepardson said.
Shepardson play for the Bulls team that advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament in 2002.
USF was not get selected to the National Championship Tournament, but they were selected to play in the National Invitational Volleyball Championship.
In sweeping fashion, USF defeated University at Buffalo Dec. 1 in the first round hosted at St. John’s University. Hazan once again led the team in kills with 10.
The next day, USF faced St. John’s University in the Super 16 round of the tournament. With a sweep in the Red Storm’s sights, USF pulls off a three-set comeback to defeat St. John’s. Sets four and five went into extra points. Sophomore Outside Hitter Maria Andrade led the team with 28 kills.
The Lady Bulls advances to play Georgia Southern University in the Great 8 round in Statesboro, Georgia on Dec. 7.
