Friday, September 24

UCF 3, East Carolina 0	Box Score
Cincinnati 3, South Florida 2	Box Score
SMU 3, Temple 1	Box Score
Tulsa 3, Houston 2	Box Score
Tulane 3, Wichita State 1	Box Score

UCF 3, East Carolina 0 (25-11, 25-17, 25-19)
 
UCF scored a sweep to open the conference season by defeating East Carolina in straight sets on Friday night in Orlando. The Knights downed the Pirates by a 25-11, 25-17, 25-19 final score.
 
Claudia Dillon hit .625 with 10 kills, five digs and five total blocks to power UCF. Amber Olson narrowly missed a double-double with 26 assists and eight digs, and McKenna Melville turned in 11 kills, six digs and three blocks.
 
Natalie Tyson finished with six kills and seven digs for ECU, with Bri Wood adding six kills and six digs.
 
Cincinnati 3, South Florida 2 (20-25, 25-19, 15-25, 25-22, 15-13)
 
Cincinnati battled back from an early deficit to down South Florida in five sets to kick off the conference slate. The Bearcats ultimately won 20-25, 25-19, 15-25, 25-22, 15-13.
 
Maria Mallon logged a double-double for Cincinnati with 15 kills and 13 digs along with four blocks. Adria Oliver added seven kills and five total blocks and Abby Walker added a match seven-kill, five-block stat line with a .333 hitting percentage.
 
Amanda Dewitt led the way for USF with 14 kills, and Marta Cvitkovic added nine kills and seven digs. CC Clausen closed with a match-high 20 digs and seven assists.
 
SMU 3, Temple 1 (23-25, 25-18, 25-22, 25-19)
 
SMU earned a win in its conference debut in the 2021 campaign, downing Temple in four sets in Dallas. The Mustangs raced past the Owls with a competitive 23-25, 25-18, 25-22, 25-19 four-set encounter.
 
Rachel Woulfe turned in a stellar showing for SMU by hitting .433 with a match-high 16 kills to go along with seven blocks. Jadyn Bauss fashioned a double-double with 11 kills and 11 digs, and Lily Heim recorded 43 assists, 14 digs and three total blocks for the Mustangs.
 
Gem Grimshaw registered a Temple double-double with 13 kills and 10 digs in defeat, just behind the 13 kills of Miray Bolukbasi. Peyton Boyd hit .381 and finished with 11 kills for the Owls.
 
Tulsa 3, Houston 2 (13-25, 25-22, 25-23, 13-25, 15-12)
 
Tulsa bounced back from a first set hole to outlast host Houston in the opening American match for both squads on the road. The Golden Hurricane won a thrilling 13-25, 25-22, 25-23, 13-25, 15-12 decision.
 
Kayley Cassaday hit .277 with a team-high 19 kills and nine digs to power Tulsa, and Avery Kalsu narrowly missed a triple-double with 29 assists, 14 digs and nine kills. Maggie Hembree added eight kills and five blocks for the Golden Hurricane.
 
Abbie Jackson finished with a match-high 24 kills to go along with five digs for Houston in the setback. Isabel Theut hit .526 with 12 kills and Annie Cook finished with 36 assists and four service aces.

Tulane 3, Wichita State 1 (18-25, 25-20, 25-23, 25-21)

Tulane claimed a four-set victory over Wichita State on a neutral floor at Houston. The Green Wave opened the conference schedule away from New Orleans due to relocation from Hurricane Ida.

Anna Davis crushed the ball to a tune of a ,517 hitting percentage with 16 kills and five total blocks to lead Tulane, and Yvette Burdesco added 12 kills and four block assists. Kayla Dinkins registered 10 kills and six block assists in the win for the Green Wave.

Kalin Newsome went for a match-high 18 kills to go along with 12 digs for Wichita State. Natalie Foster chipped in 15 kills after hitting .538 during the match.