Sept. 2, 2010
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By Sarah Tarasewicz
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - The UCF volleyball team is set to put its perfect 3-0 record on the line this weekend when it takes part in the UNCW Hilton Garden Inn/Courtyard by Marriott Classic. The Knights will take on the host Seahawks Friday at 7 p.m., before battling UNC Greensboro Saturday at 1 p.m. The tournament will come to a close for the Black and Gold Saturday with a 5 p.m. contest vs. South Carolina State.
The Black and Gold started the season with a 3-0 record in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1978 and 1979 after defeating Houston Baptist, Florida Gulf Coast and Bethune-Cookman in straight-sets at the FGCU Tournament last weekend.
The Knights had three players named to the all-tournament team for their play during the event, including Kristin Fisher (Clearwater, Fla.), Meredith Murphy (Austin, Texas) and Evija Vilde (Riga, Latvia).
The trio combined for 78 kills, eight service aces, 69 digs, eight blocks and 92.0 points in Fort Myers, led by Fisher's 5.0 kills-per-set average. The junior totaled 45 kills and hit .316 to pace UCF's offense.
Also contributing to the Knights' perfect start were four newcomers, Angelica Crump (Atlanta, Ga.), Rachel Vukson (Oakville, Ont.), Marie Reiterova (Luxembourg, Luxembourg) and Roxy Mendez (Orlando, Fla.). Crump posted 21 kills for the Black and Gold, while Vukson and Reiterova combined for 112 assists. Mendez was also consistent for the Knights, totaling 11 digs while making an appearance in all three matches.
UNC Wilmington hosts the Black and Gold Friday night with a 1-2 record on the season after participating in the High Point Tournament last weekend. The Seahawks opened the season 0-2 after dropping matches to both High Point and Appalachian State, but concluded the event with a 3-0 sweep of North Carolina A&T. The Knights are 2-0 in the all-time series vs. UNC Wilmington, with their last victory coming in 2007.
Along with the Black and Gold, UNC Greensboro has also opened the 2010 season on a winning streak, having won five-straight heading into the weekend. The Spartans won four-consecutive matches at the Spartan Classic last weekend, before posting a victory over N.C. Central, 3-0, on the road Wednesday night. UCF holds a 2-0 advantage all-time vs. UNC Greensboro, which includes a thrilling, five-set, come-from-behind victory last season at High Point.
The Knights close out the UNCW Tournament Saturday night against a South Carolina State squad that went 1-3 last weekend at the Tiny Laster Tournament. This will be the first meeting between the two teams.
Season tickets are now available for purchase for only $30 online at UCFAthletics.com or by calling the UCF Athletics Ticket Office at (407) UCF-1000. The Knights are set to host 13 regular-season matches at The Venue at UCF this season, which includes 10 Conference USA contests.