ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) – Kristina Fisher and McKenna Melville turned in double-double performances Friday night, but it wouldn't be enough asUCF Volleyball fell to Florida Gulf Coast (9-2) in four sets (26-24, 19-25, 21-25, 22-25) at the Sunshine State Classic in Orlando, Fla.
UCF looked sharp in the first set as Fisher had a couple of big kills to swing the momentum in favor of the Knights. With the Black and Gold down 24-23 near the end of the first set, Melville had three consecutive kills to help UCF win the set. Despite the strong start, FGCU would go on to claim the next three sets to win the match, 3-1.
"I just thought when it came down to it, this came down to a match of discipline. They were very disciplined and low error." UCF head coach Todd Dagenais said. " I think they won that battle which I thought going into it would be the significant battle… They don't give you many chances or many breaks. You have to go out there and earn it."
Both Melville and Fisher had double-doubles in the match. Fisher registered 17 kills and 17 digs while hitting at a .351 hitting percentage, while Melville turned in 21 kills and 17 digs.
The loss was the fourth of the season for the Knights, who will play a double-header tomorrow as they take on Miami at 11:00 a.m. ET followed by FAU at 7:00 p.m. ET.
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FIRST SET
The Knights looked strong in the first set as Anne-Marie Watson had three strong kills early to get the momentum rolling in favor of the Knights. From there, the two teams battled back-and-forth, with neither side gaining more than a two-point lead throughout. With the Knights down 22-23, Kathryn Wesolich gathered a momentous kill to tie it up at 23, and Melville finished off the set with three consecutive kills to win the set, 26-24.
SECOND SET
UCF fell behind early to start the second set but began to work a comeback to close the gap to 14-13 and then tied it up at 15. From there, FGCU went on a 6-1 run to go up 21-17. With the momentum on their side, FGCU went on to take the second set, 25-19
THIRD SET
The Knights started off the third set going up 8-5, forcing FGCU to call an early timeout. Back-to-back kills by Fisher and a service ace by Amber Olson extended the lead to 16-13, but FGCU battled back to tie it at 19, making UCF call a timeout of their own. FGCU closed out the set by going on a 9-2 run to go up and win the set, 25-21.
FOURTH SET
FGCU went up 8-4 early in the fourth set before the Knights called a timeout to slow the momentum. The two teams went back-and-forth for much of the set with the Knights trailing only slightly behind until Melville had a big kill to tie it up at 21. Unfortunately, FGCU would recover, going on to win the set by a final score of 25-22, and the match 3-1.
DAGENAIS DIALOGUE
On rebounding for tomorrow:
"I am not disappointed in the effort from my team at all. I thought that we went out there and gave it everything we had. We did not always get as composed as we wanted to be, but we sure brought the effort. We didn't leave it out there – we wanted it. It is just a matter of putting the skillset together to go out there and take it. We have two more opportunities tomorrow. Every chance is a new chance to get better."
On the tight match:
"I just thought, when it came down to it, this came down to a match of discipline. They were very disciplined and low error. I think they won that battle which I thought going into it would be the significant battle. Who could stay consistent? Who could run their offense? Who could run their system and who could be most disciplined? I thought we were in the net too many times. They don't give you many chances or many breaks. You have to go out there and earn it."
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UP NEXT
The Knights will play a double-header tomorrow as they take on Miami at 11:00 a.m. ET followed by FAU at 7:00 p.m. ET.
