ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) – After two exhilarating matches last weekend, the UCF volleyball team hits the road for its penultimate two-match weekend away from home. The Knights (12-12, 5-7) will travel to Cincinnati on Friday at 7 p.m., before taking on ECU at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
With eight games remaining in the regular season before Selection Sunday for the NCAA Tournament and the National Invitational Volleyball Championship, which is returning after a 22-year hiatus, the Knights sit in sixth in the American Athletic Conference standings.
LAST TIME OUT
• UCF put together a pair of impressive performances last week against then No. 21 Wichita State and Memphis.
• The Knights forced the league-leading Shockers into their first five-set contest in AAC action, but fell in the decisive fifth set.
• After overcoming a six-point deficit in the first set against Memphis on Sunday, the Knights were in total control. Powered by 18 kills from Kia Bright, the Black and Gold notched its fifth sweep of the year.
KEEP FEEDING KIA
• For a pair of dominant performances, Bright was named to the AAC Weekly Honor Roll.
• The redshirt senior tallied a remarkable .257 attack percentage with 35 kills on 97 swings for the weekend.
• Bright is one of 27 active players in the NCAA to have notched 1,000 digs and 1,000 kills.
• The Starke, Fla., native ranks fourth in the AAC in kills per set this season.
TOWERING MIDDLES
• Jeanne Westney and Taylor Wickey have been dominant in the middle over the last five games.
• The duo recorded 41 total blocks during that stretch and are averaging 7.13 blocks per match this season.
• Wickey matched her career high in rejections with nine in three sets against Memphis.
• Westney has been a thorn in opponents' attacks by blocking nearly a ball per set.
• The pair has also been getting it done on the attack with a combined attack percentage of .341.
CONSIDERED BY THE NIVC
• One of the primary goals for the Knights this year is to reach the postseason.
• On Thursday, UCF took one step closer to achieving its goal when the NIVC announced the teams it was considering to play in the newest edition.
• The Black and Gold was one of five AAC programs to be named, along with Cincinnati, SMU, Tulane and Temple.
• Similar to the NCAA Tournament, the NIVC will have an automatic qualifier for the top team from each of the 32 conferences and the next 32 teams will receive at-large berths.
SCOUTING ECU
• The Pirates are 16-9 this season with a 7-5 mark in the AAC.
• ECU has been one of the more accurate offenses in the conference with a .236 clip, led by Natalie Montini's .339 hitting percentage.
• The UCF offense will face one of the top back row players in the league in Brandee Markwith and her 5.30 digs per set.
SCOUTING CINCINNATI
• At 8-4 in league play with a 10-14 mark overall, the Bearcats are fourth in the conference standings.
• After 2017 AAC Player of the Year Jordan Thompson went down to injury, Carly Nolan has stepped up with a league best 4.10 kills per set, which ranks 32nd in the nation.
• The Bearcats have won four of their last six contests.
SERIES HISTORIES
• After winning a wild back-and-forth match in The Venue earlier this season, the Knights have 15-9 record against the Pirates.
• UCF will look to retake the series lead with a win on Friday, following a three-set loss to the Bearcats that evened the record at 6-6.
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