Owls Fall in Four at South Florida

Wednesday, October 30

Tampa, Fla.

6 p.m.

Florida Atlantic

13-10,5-6AAC

South Florida

13-9,9-2AAC

Fla. Atlantic

South Fla.

Photo by: Rick De Paiva

10/30/2024 9:20:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

BOCA RATON, Fla. – The Florida Atlantic Owls battled tough against the South Florida Bulls on Wednesday but fell in a hard-fought four-set battle at the Corral, 3-1 (28-26, 18-25, 19-25, 18-25)

The Owls drop to 13-10 on the season and 5-6 in AAC play, while South Florida moves to 13-9 overall and 9-2 in conference play.

FLORIDA ATLANTIC 1 – SOUTH FLORIDA 3

The Owls started hot, opening the match on a 5-2 run. South Florida answered back with a 7-3 run to lead 9-8, but it was short-lived as the Owls retook the lead off a 7-2 run to hold a four-point advantage at the opening media timeout, 15-11. Florida Atlantic maintained the momentum out of the media break, going on a 3-2 run to extend its lead to five, 18-13, and spark a South Florida timeout. Out of the break, the Bulls started to rally again, battling back within one at a 20-19 Florida Atlantic lead as the Owls called their first timeout of the set. The teams battled through five ties through a 26-26 stalemate, but a kill from Madison Dyer and a South Florida attack error eventually sealed the opening set for the Owls, 28-26.

Florida Atlantic had another hot start to open the second, opening the set on a 6-3 run to spark a quick South Florida timeout. Following a 9-7 Florida Atlantic advantage, South Florida scored five unanswered, taking a 13-9 lead and forcing the Owls to call a timeout. The Owls battled back to close the gap back within one at 16-15, but South Florida responded with a 10-2 run to close out the set and even the match at 1-1, 25-18.

The Owls and Bulls battled through an 8-8 tie to open up set three. However, South Florida then went on a 5-1 run to take a 13-9 lead and spark a Florida Atlantic timeout. Following a 17-12 Bulls' lead, the Owls scored three unanswered off back-to-back South Florida errors and a kill from Valeria Rosado to bring the Owls within two, 17-15. The Owls kept things within two at 20-18, but the Bulls held the Owls to just a point over the remainder of the set, going on a 5-1 run to take the third 25-19 and take the 2-1 advantage.

South Florida took the early lead in the fourth, opening the set on a 7-3 run. The Owls cut the deficit two at 10-8, but the Bulls pushed the lead back out to 13-9 as the Owls called their first timeout of the fourth. The Owls just couldn't find an answer to the Bulls in the fourth as South Florida eventually held the 24-15 match-point advantage. The Owls rallied to score three unanswered, battling back within 24-18, but the Bulls eventually got the final kill to take the fourth, 25-18, and claim the four-set win.

STATS & NOTES

Katelynn Robine led the Owls with a team-high 14 kills, hitting .300, to go along with a team-high four service aces, two blocks, and a dig.
Valeria Rosado also finished in double-figures with 12 kills to go along with five digs, two aces, and an assist.
Victoria Hensley dished out a team-leading 32 assists and posted her ninth double-double of the season with 10 digs.
Isabelle Northam finished with a team-high 17 digs, while Kaila Ru led the Owls at the net with a match-high six blocks.

UP NEXT

Florida Atlantic returns home this weekend as the Owls prepare to host Temple on Sunday, Nov. 3, for a 12 p.m. first serve at Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena.

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