ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com)--The UCF volleyball team opened the 2016 season with a 3-0 sweep over Stony Brook in their first match of the Holiday Inn Orlando East UCF Area Invitational on Friday afternoon at The Venue.
"We knew they were going to be tough," said head coach Todd Dagenais. "To come out and hit .370 as a team in the opening match is a pretty high octane offense. It's not something that we can sustain all year, but we were making plays when we had to."
The Knights dominated the first set, hitting .370 in the 25-17 victory. After the two teams went back and forth for the first seven points of the second set, UCF charged forward for a 25-19 win, taking a 2-0 lead to intermission. The Knights went on a 6-0 run to open the third set. The Seawolves never got closer than within two points as UCF claimed a 25-19 win and an opening match sweep.
Hooray for Hervey
- Hervey had a match-high 15 kills and 19 points in the victory. She also posted three aces, including back-to-back aces to close out the first set.
- The senior hit .464 in the match, hitting .571 in the first set and .500 in the third.
- The Huntsville, Ala., native averaged 5.0 kills per set.
Welcome, Welcome
- Freshman Jeanne Westney made her collegiate debut starting for the Knights. Junior transfer Farah Rajaee also made her collegiate debut as a setter.
- Westney finished with four kills, including a kill to win the second set and three total blocks (one block solo, two block assists).
- Rajaee finished with 16 assists.
Even Keel
- The Knights had six players that finished with four or more kills in the opening match.
- "We don't want other teams knowing what's coming," said senior outside Jale Hervey. "I think we do a good job of balancing out hitters in all the positions. Our hitters can hit from anywhere, so I think we keep the other side on their toes on where the ball is going."
Next Up
- UCF will take on Kent State this evening at 7:30 p.m. at The Venue.