South Florida Nudges Past East Carolina In Five-Set Photo Finish

Sunday, November 10

Greenville, N.C.

1:00 p.m.

East Carolina University

16-8,9-5AAC

South Florida

16-9,12-2AAC

South Fla.

East Carolina

South Florida Nudges Past East Carolina In Five-Set Photo Finish

November 10, 2024 | Volleyball

Box Score Game Book (PDF)

GREENVILLE, N.C. – East Carolina nearly knocked off American Athletic Conference co-leader South Florida Sunday afternoon inside Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum, but the Bulls rallied to take the fourth and fifth sets in a 3-2 (25-27, 25-15, 22-25, 25-16, 15-13) decision.

The Pirates (16-8, 9-5 AAC) have two matches remaining in the regular season – this Wednesday at home versus Charlotte and a Friday appointment with Temple in Philadelphia. The league race is still wide open with the field of eight for the AAC Volleyball Championship yet to be solidified. South Florida (16-9, 12-2 AAC) kept pace with Rice for the top spot in the conference standings.

The Bulls won the tight contest with their ability to terminate the volleyball at a higher rate as they held a 67-45 advantage in kills as well as a .225 to .168 edge in hitting percentage. The teams also combined for 24.0 total blocks.

Naiya Sawtelle paced a trio of South Florida hitters in double figures with a match-high 19 kills while Ellie Pate was one of three Pirates in double figures with 12. Payton Evenstad logged a double-double of 27 assists and 10 digs to go along with a 22-dig performance by Lara Uyar.

East Carolina was poised to run away with the opening set, leading 16-8 following a USF attacking error, but the Bulls would fight all the way back to tie the score at 24 and even assume set point at 25-24. A service miscue kept the Pirates alive though before a stuff block and Pate kill sealed the frame for the Purple and Gold.

The teams traded punches in the subsequent sets as South Florida ran away with the second and fourth frames to force a decider. ECU held an early 6-3 lead, but the Bulls took advantage of some critical Pirate errors down the stretch to reach match point at 14-10. East Carolina would net three straight from there before an Ally Cavanaugh kill ended the contest.