Struggles Are Over: #3 Florida, #7 USC Prevail at Bubly Invite Sunday

  0 Jil Price Igara | September 02nd, 2018 | ACC, College - Women's Indoor, Division I Mid-Major, News, Pac 12, SEC

Ranked programs played their way to victories Sunday in Bubly Invitational finale action. #7 USC swept past Louisville, while #3 Florida notched a 4-set victory over UCF.

Match Stats

After faltering against UCF yesterday, 7th-ranked USC got back on track with a sweep of Louisville at the Bubly Invitational hosted by Florida in Gainesville. The Trojans were efficient offensively in the victory, hitting at a season-high .300 clip to the Cardinals’ .121 effort, in the first meeting of the series.

USC used a 5-1 stretch to distance itself from Louisville in the first set and went on to lead by as many as 8. The Trojans won 25-19 for the advantage. In Set 2, the teams played through 7 ties before the Trojans went on a 7-3 run to seize the momentum and establish a 19-15 lead. They held off the Cardinals to close it out 25-22.

An 8-2 run allowed USC to pull ahead in the third set. The Trojans withstood a late push by the Cardinals, who brought it to within 3, to secure the sweep at 25-19.

Junior Emily Baptista (11), sophomore Brooke Botkin (11) and junior Khalia Lanier (10) tallied double-figure kill totals for USC. Freshman Raquel Lazaro distributed 38 assists, senior Victoria Garrick posted a team-high 13 digs and junior Jasmine Gross recorded a team-best 4 blocks.

For Louisville, junior Melanie McHenry and senior Jasmine Bennett each registered a team-high 10 kills. Senior Wilma Rivera dished out 29 assists, while senior Molly Sauer logged a team-best 12 digs.

Match Stats

The Knights were up for the challenge Sunday, however, No. 3 Florida was too much to handle in the Bubly Invitational finale. The Gators overcame UCF in 4 sets and remained unbeaten in the all-time series 19-0.

UCF came out of the gate strong in the first set, going up 9-5 early. The Gators worked their way back into contention, tying the score at 12-all with a 5-1 push. Ten tie scores followed before Florida could close it out with a kill by senior Taelor Kellum and an error by the Knights, 26-24.

The Knights again gained control of the second set, jumping ahead 8-4. UCF went on to lead by as much as 9 and eventually claimed the win, 25-17.

For the third-straight set, UFC established an early advantage. The Gators used a 4-0 run to get back on track and battled through 4 ties before two Kellum kills could key the victory, 25-23.

The Gators overcame another slow start and fought through 6 ties in the fourth set before notching 7 of the final 8 points of the match to secure the finale set, 25-17.

Freshman Thayer Hall paced Florida with a double-double, logging 20 kills and a team-high 19 digs. Redshirt sophomore Holly Carlton also reached double figures with 10 kills. Redshirt senior Allie Monserez posted 37 assists, while Carlton chipped in a team-leading 5 blocks.

Sophomore Kristina Fisher and freshman McKenna Melville each tallied a team-high 15 kills for UCF, while junior Erin Olson recorded 28 assists and senior Jordan Pingel notched a team-high 22 digs.

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