Owls Split on Opening Day of UCF Invitational

Friday, September 12

Orlando, Fla.

11 a.m.

Florida Atlantic

5-3,0-0American

Arkansas State

3-3,0-0Sun Belt

Arkansas St.

Fla. Atlantic

9/12/2025 8:54:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

ORLANDO, Fla. – The Florida Atlantic Owls opened play in the UCF Invitational on Friday, dropping a three-set battle against Arkansas State, 3-0, but finishing the day with a five-set win against Brown, 3-2, at the Venue.

HOW IT HAPPENED
GAME ONE
Arkansas State took the early lead, opening the match on an 8-3 run to force an early Florida Atlantic timeout. The Owls called their second timeout trailing 12-5, but FAU couldn't cut into the Red Wolves' advantage as Arkansas State took the opening set, 25-13.

The Red Wolves opened the second on a 7-1 run to spark another early FAU timeout. Kayla Richardson tallied a kill out of the timeout, but the Owls just couldn't find an answer to the Red Wolves as Arkansas State closed the set 25-10 to take the two-set advantage, 2-0.

Florida Atlantic battled to take a 15-14 lead at the third set media break. An Arkansas State error gave the Owls a two-point advantage at 16-14, but the Red Wolves rallied to close the set on an 11-1 run and take the set 25-17 to close the match.

GAME TWO
The Owls bounced back in game two, earning a five-set win over Brown. The Bears took the early advantage in set one, 6-3, but the Owls rallied with a 6-0 run to take a three-point lead, 9-6, and force a Brown timeout. The Bears cut the Owls' lead to 13-12, but FAU scored three unanswered to extend the advantage back to four, 16-12, at the second timeout of the first. Brown went on a 3-1 run out of the timeout to cut the Owls' advantage to two, 17-15, but FAU closed the set on an 8-2 run to take the opening set, 25-17.

Brown took the early lead once again in the second, but a 5-0 Owl run forced the Bears to call a timeout, 7-5. The Owls maintained an advantage through 18-14, however, the Bears answered back, producing an 11-2 run to take the second, 25-20, and even the match at one, 1-1.

The Bears held a 12-8 advantage to open the third. After battling back to tie up the set at 16-16, the Owls closed the third on a 9-4 run to take the set 25-20 and retake the lead, 2-1.

Florida Atlantic opened the fourth on a 12-11 run to force the Bears' first timeout of the set. The Owls produced a 3-1 run out of the timeout to spark another quick timeout by the Bears, leading 15-12. Brown tied the set twice at 18 and 20 before holding a 22-20 advantage late in the fourth. The Owls scored three unanswered to retake the lead 23-22, but Brown answered back with a 3-0 run of their own to take the fourth set 25-23 and force a fifth, 2-2.

The Owls opened the fifth on a 5-2 run to force an early Brown timeout. FAU extended its lead to five, 7-2, but a 4-0 run for the Bears forced the Owls to call their first timeout of the set at 7-6. Back-to-back kills from Anna Hartman and Erin Morrissey pushed the Owls' lead back to three, 9-6. The Bears cut the deficit back to two at 10-8, but the Owls closed the match on a 5-2 run to take the five-set win, 3-2.

STATS & NOTES

Brown
- The Owls' win against Brown was their first over the Bears
- Olivia Hart had a career match against Brown, recording a career-best 21 digs, tying a career-high 15 kills, and notching a career-high five aces vs. the Bears.
- Three other Owls registered double-figure kills against the Bears, including Morrissey, tying for a team-high 15 kills, and Richardson and Hartman tallying 13 and 10 kills, respectively.
- Emsley Venard dished out a team-leading 27 assists, while Victoria Hensley tallied 21 assists in the win.

UP NEXT
The Owls wrap up play in Orlando on Saturday as they take on host UCF for a 6 p.m. first serve on ESPN+.

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