ORLANDO, Fla. – The UCF volleyball team (4-5) dropped a tight five-setter to Georgia (4-5) on the final day of the UCF Invitational from The Venue.
The Knights close out the UCF Invite 2-1 and wins the tie breaker over FSU due to their win in the head-to-head matchup.
"I'm proud of this team and the effort they put in this weekend," head coach Todd Dagenais, "It is tough to win an emotional five game and to turn around a play again the next day. They came out, they fought, and they gave it everything they had. We are going to get better from this and it's another learning experience. We grew this weekend, and we will continue to get better."
McKenna Melville was named the UCF Invite All-Tournament MVP after having another career day. She notched a career-high 30 kills while hitting .366 and added 10 digs to get her fourth double-double of the season.
Tali Marmen and Anne-Marie Watson were also named to the All-Tournament team.
The Knights had a slow start in the first set after having a quick turnaround from their emotional five-set win against FSU the night before. Georgia would take the first, 25-20. But UCF bounced back quick in the second and after being tied 19-19, the Knights finished the job to win the set 25-22.
All tied up 1-1, UCF went on a big 8-0 run and never looked back. The Knights hit .407 as a team to win the set 25-20. The fourth would start out as a back-and-forth battle until the Knights used a 5-0 run to lead 17-13. But the Bulldogs came right back to take the lead 18-17. Georgia walked away with it to force a fifth set in 25-21.
The two teams matched up so well, they needed extra points in the fifth, but the Bulldogs would take the set in 16-14 to win the match.
Melville led with her career-high 30 kills while MaKenzie Chambers added nine and Marmen notched seven. Kathryn Wesolich picked up five kills, hitting .333, and had six blocks. Nerissa Moravec led with seven blocks.
Amber Olson recorded her third double-double this season with 26 assists and 12 digs.
ALL-TOURNAMENT
McKenna Melville (UCF) - MVP
Tali Marmen (UCF)
Anne-Marie Watson (UCF)
Emma Clothier (FSU)
Khori Louis (FSU)
Dana Axner (FGCU)
UP NEXT
The Knight will close out the tournament season on the road at the Sunshine Classic in Boca Raton, Fla. on Thursday-Friday, Sept. 16-17. UCF will see the likes of Miami, Florida Atlantic and Florida Gulf Coast for the second time this season.
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TODD'S THOUGHTS
[On five-set loss against Georgia]
This was a tough one and it came down to execution. It's those moments in the game when you put yourself against the wall and you have to keep climbing out of it, it is exhausting after a while. Georgia found ways to throw the ball up there a score. You have to give them credit.
[On the weekend]
I'm proud of this team and the effort they put in this weekend. We grew this weekend, and we will continue to get better.