CINCINNATI – For the third straight season UCF claimed the top spot in the American Athletic Conference volleyball realm, defeating Temple by a 3-1 score on Saturday in the 2020 American Volleyball Championship Match at Fifth Third Arena. The Knights secured their second consecutive tournament crown, to go along with the 2018 regular-season title and automatic NCAA bid, with set scores of 25-20, 24-26, 25-13, 25-20 against the Owls.
UCF (16-1) clinched the automatic bid from The American into the upcoming NCAA Division I Volleyball Championship. The NCAA Championship Selection Show will air at 4 p.m. (ET) on April 4 live on ESPNU.
UCF took a competitive first set by a 25-20 score. The Knights hit .366 as a team in the opening frame, emerging from a 13-13 tie to remain ahead for the duration of the set. A Temple (11-6) attack error on set point salted away the early UCF lead.
Temple looked dominant for stretches in the second set, leading by as many as four points at 18-14 to force a UCF timeout. The Knights responded with eight of the next 12 points to tie the contest at 22 and bring about an Owls timeout. Temple pulled ahead for good from a 24-all tie to take the second period 26-24.
UCF rebounded efficiently with a big third set, ending a dominant frame with a 25-13 win to extend the advantage in the match to 2-1. The Knights picked up three service aces and hit at a .361 clip for the third set in ending on a 9-2 run.
Temple looked to keep the contest rolling in the fourth set, taking an 18=16 edge. UCF roared back ahead on a 4-0 run to go ahead 20-18. The Owls closed the gap to 21-20 before UCF rallied for the final four points and 25-20 clinching win.
McKenna Melville led all players with 25 kills, hitting .350 for UCF in the championship match. Melville added 11 digs for her second double-double of the weekend to secure Most Outstanding Player honors. Anne-Marie Watson finished with 13 kills and five blocks to join Melville on the all-tournament team, and Nerissa Moravec added nine blocks during the weekend to round out the Knights on the all-tournament team.
Gem Grimshaw paced Temple with 20 kills and 11 digs, earning herself a spot on the championship all-tournament team. Tyler Lindgren logged a match-high 47 assists and added 11 digs to join Grimshaw on the all-tournament team.
Tournament semifinalists that were also on the all-tournament team were Kortlyn Henderson from Houston and Lexie Douglas from Tulane.
2020 American Athletic Conference Women's Volleyball Championship
April 2-3, 2021
Fifth Third Arena
Cincinnati, Ohio
Semifinals - Friday, April 2
No. 1 UCF (East) 3, No. 2 Tulane (West) 2 (19-25, 25-21, 26-24, 22-25, 15-9)
No. 2 Temple (East) 3, No. 1 Houston (West) 1 (18-15, 25-23, 25-14, 25-18)
Final - Saturday, April 3
No. 1 UCF (East) 3, No. 2 Temple (East) 1 (25-20, 24-26, 25-13, 25-20)
All-Tournament Team
McKenna Melville, UCF (Most Outstanding Player)
Anne-Marie Watson, UCF
Nerissa Moravec, UCF
Gem Grimshaw, Temple
Tyler Lindgren, Temple
Kortlyn Henderson, Houston
Lexie Douglas, Tulane