PROVIDENCE, R.I. – UCF’s historic 2018 volleyball season came to an end on Thursday night in Orlando, as the No. 21 Knights fell in five sets to Florida Gulf Coast in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament. Tulane and Wichita State each earned 3-2 opening-round wins to advance to the second round of the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC). Cincinnati will join the Green Wave and Shockers on Friday night in postseason action, as the Bearcats are set to face Illinois State in Milwaukee, Wis., in a first-round NCAA clash at 5:30 p.m. ET. USF and Tulsa each were defeated in the first round of their respective NIVC matches.
Thursday, November 29, Results:
Florida Gulf Coast 3, No. 21 UCF 2 | NCAA Tournament First Round
Down 2-1 in the match, UCF (27-4, 18-0) rallied from behind in front of a home crowd at The Venue to tie the contest after a dominant 25-14 fourth-set win. However, the Knights came up short in fifth set (15-7), taking their first loss at home this season to conclude a tremendous 2018 slate. Florida Gulf Coast won the second and third sets before clinching the final frame, ending the Knights’ 24-match winning streak, which started on September 2.
Outside hitter Cortney Vanliew led the Eagles with 25 kills, as Dana Axner and Snowy Burnam combined for 53 digs. American Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year McKenna Melville led UCF with her conference-high 22nd double-double this season, recording 24 kills and 16 digs. Senior libero Jordan Pingel set UCF’s single-season digs record after adding a team-high 26 in the match to end the season with 597. UCF had 13 blocks and hit at least .345 in the first and fourth sets. UCF achieved its first national ranking, first national seed, second conference title in five years and an undefeated conference slate in 2018. The Knights return their entire offensive and blocking output for 2019.
Tulane 3, Arkansas State 2 | NIVC First Round
Four of five sets were decided by a total of nine points, as Tulane (26-8, 13-5) defended its home court and defeated Arkansas State 3-2 to advance to Friday’s second-round NIVC matchup in New Orleans against Cal Baptist at 8 p.m. ET. In its first postseason bid since 2009, Tulane recorded 10 blocks and 10 service aces. Yvette Burcescu recorded 10 kills and five blocks while hitting .348. Erika Hansel hit .314 with a team-high 15 kills, while Dayna Kern had 12 kills on a .286 hitting clip with four blocks. The Green Wave, which ranks top 10 nationally in opponent hitting percentage, held Arkansas State to a .124 hitting clip. With sets one, two, three and five each staying within three points, Tulane came out firing on all cylinders in the fourth set, winning by 17 points with a score of 25-8. The Green Wave improved to 15-2 at home in 2018.
North Texas 3, Tulsa 1 | NIVC First Round
Earning its first postseason bid since 2013 and first under head coach Ryan Wills, the Golden Hurricane (19-12, 11-7) fell to host North Texas 3-1 in the opening round of the NIVC to conclude its 2018 season. Senior outside hitter Emily Thorson and junior setter Mariah Pardo each had double-doubles in the loss. Middle blocker Callie Cook finished the match with a team season-high .750 hitting percentage, tallying 12 kills on 16 swings.
Georgia Tech 3, USF 2 | NIVC First Round
USF (20-12, 9-9) held a 2-0 lead in the opening round of the NIVC, but host Georgia Tech rallied from behind to win-out the remaining three frames and end the Bulls’ postseason rally in five sets. After USF held them below the .120 line through the first two sets, the Yellow Jackets hit above .305 in the final three frames. USF outside hitter Jac’cara Walker finished with 19 kills and 19 digs, hitting .306. It was the second time this season she had at least 19 kills and 19 digs in a match, as she earned her 15th double-double of the year. Senior middle blocker Clara Payne finished with 11 kills and three blocks, hitting .391. It marked USF’s first postseason appearance since 2002. USF ended the year with 20 wins—the most for the Bulls since their 2016 season.
Wichita State 3, Central Arkansas 2 | NIVC First Round
Wichita State (14-17, 8-10) hit .300 en route to a 3-2 first-round NIVC win over Central Arkansas. Tabitha Brown (.487) and Megan Taflinger (.364) each had 22 kills while hitting over .350 in the victory. After dropping the opening set, the Shockers rallied for wins in the second and third frames before clinching the fifth set, 15-11. Setter Kora Kauling had a double-double of 50 assists and 10 digs, while Emma Wright had seven blocks. The Shockers advance to the second round Friday night and face host North Texas at 6:30 p.m. ET. The Mean Green handed the Shockers a four-set loss in the two-teams’ regular-season finale on November 24.
RESULTS/UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Thursday, November 29
Wichita State 3, Central Arkansas 2 | NIVC
Florida Gulf Coast 3, No. 21 UCF 2 | NCAA Tournament
North Texas 3, Tulsa 1 | NIVC
Georgia Tech 3, USF 2 | NIVC
Tulane 3, Arkansas State 2 | NIVC
Friday, November 30
Illinois State vs. Cincinnati – 5:30 p.m. ET | NCAA Tournament First Round
Wichita State at North Texas – 6:30 p.m. ET | NIVC Second Round
Cal Baptist at Tulane – 8 p.m. ET | NIVC Second Round
All times Eastern and subject to change