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UCF 3, Kansas 0 (25-15, 25-21, 25-15)
UCF finished a perfect showing at the UCF Challenge in Orlando, Florida, by posting its third sweep of the weekend, closing the tournament with a 25-15, 25-21, 25-15 win over Kansas on Sunday.
The Knights raced out to a 14-7 lead in the first set against the Jayhawks thanks to a Makenzie Kuchmaner service ace. A Kristina Fisher kill and three straight points while Fisher held serve pushed UCF further in front at 19-10. Holding a 21-15 lead the Knights scored the final four points, capped off by an Anne-Marie Watson kill, for the early 1-0 set advantage.
Kansas responded in the second set and held a lead as large as five points at 18-13. UCF flipped the script with eight of nine points, featuring four kills by Watson, to give the hosts a 21-19 edge. MaKenzie Chambers ultimately polished off the frame win for the Knights with back-to-back kills.
In the third and deciding set, Kansas trimmed UCF’s lead to just two points at 14-12 in an attempt to prolong the match. The Knights responded in kind with 11 of the contest’s final 14 points, including the final five tallies on the afternoon, to complete the tournament sweep.
Watson finished the match with a team-high 16 kills to guide the UCF offense, while Fisher chipped in 13 kills and added four digs. Erin Olson registered a double-double with 16 points and 12 digs for the Knights.
Ole Miss 3, Tulane 2 (17-25, 27-25, 15-25, 26-24, 17-15)
Despite two lopsided set wins on Sunday in the finale of the Allstate Sugar Bowl Collegiate Volleyball Classic, Tulane was unable to secure a match victory at home against Ole Miss. The Green Wave dropped a heartbreaking 17-25, 27-25, 15-25, 26-24, 17-15 decision to the Rebels in New Orleans.
With the score tied 8-8 in the first set, Tulane claimed seven of the next nine points to open a 15-10 advantage that was powered by three kills from Lexie Douglas. The Green Wave kept the pressure on for the remainder of the frame, with a pair of Ole Miss errors providing the winning point total in set one for Tulane.
With the match deadlocked at one set apiece, Tulane enjoyed its most dominant performance of the day in the third. After Ole Miss closed the deficit to 10-7 in the set, Tulane erupted for six of the next seven points to push its advantage to 16-8. Kills from Erika Hansel, Kayla Dinkins and Douglas yielded the 10-point win and 2-1 match lead for the hosts.
In the fifth and deciding set, both teams traded the lead all the way until a 15-15 deadlock extended the final set. Unfortunately for Tulane, a service error and ensuing Ole Miss kill wrapped up the match.
Douglas led all players with 20 kills and chipped in 20 digs, while Kaylie McHugh logged a double-double of her own with 29 digs and 12 assists. Makala Heidelberg chipped in 25 digs for the Green Wave.