UCF vs. Florida Gulf Coast Friday, Sep. 10 | 10:00 AM LIVE STATS | WATCH | UCF vs. Florida State Friday, Sep. 10 | 7:30 PM LIVE STATS | WATCH | UCF vs. Georgia Saturday, Sep 11 | 3:00 PM LIVE STATS |
ORLANDO, Fla. – The UCF Volleyball team will return home to host the UCF Invitational this Friday and Saturday, Sep. 10-11. They will take on Florida Gulf Coast and Florida State on Friday and Georgia on Saturday.
All three matches will have live stats available, and Friday's matches will be streamed on ESPN+.
"This weekend is full of great competition, and I am excited about the room that we have to grow," head coach Todd Dagenais said.
THE KNIGHTS
The Knights are coming off a weekend of playing in the Palmetto Showdown that saw them beat Clemson, 3-1, and put pressure on No. 24 South Carolina twice.
McKenna Melville played amazingly last weekend, notching 61 one kills in the three games. Amber Olson also impressed with her 110 assists over the weekend.
The Knights are looking to build off of last weekend with a big chance against two in-state rivals and an SEC opponent.
THE FIELD
THE EAGLES
UCF opens the UCF Invitational with Florida Gulf Coast at 10:00 AM. The Eagles are off to a program record tying 6-0 start to the season. They have yet to drop a set and are only one of four teams to accomplish the feat this year. They have wins over UMBC, Rutgers, South Florida, FIU, Florida A&M, and USC Upstate.
FGCU's Juliana Lentz has led the way for them this season, with 54 kills and hitting .471. She won tournament MVP in the Hilton Garden Inn FGCU Classic.
The Eagles will take on UCF on Friday, Sep. 10 at 10:00 AM followed by Georgia later that evening at 5:30 PM and Florida State the next day at 5:30 PM.
THE SEMINOLES
Florida State enters the UCF Invitational on a three-game win streak that saw them get wins over Tulane, Samford and VCU.
Emma Clothier ranks first in the ACC averaging 0.60 aces per set. The team ranks 20th nationally with 2.13 aces per set, which is good enough for first in the ACC.
FSU takes on Georgia on Thursday, Sep. 9 at 6:00 PM. They then play the Knights the following night at 7:30 PM and FGCU the next night at 5:30 PM.
THE BULLDOGS
Georgia enters the UCF Invitational 3-3 with wins over Morehead State, Winthrop, and Arizona State.
Amber Stivrins has been a key piece to this Bulldogs team. She leads the team with 64 kills as well as 11 aces. She also ranks top three on the team in digs with 34.
Georgia will open with Florida State on Thursday, Sep. 9 at 6:00 PM followed by Florida Gulf Coast the next day at 5:30 PM. They close the UCF Invitational by taking on the Knights at 3:00 on Saturday Sep. 11.
DAGENAIS DIALOGUE
[On Playing FGCU]
Florida Gulf Coast has grown and become a nationally regarded program. They are experienced, well organized, and well coached. They play a fast style of volleyball, but their defense is phenomenal. It's one of those matches that will not be an easy out, this one is going to be a coin flip. They are very much like us in terms of their hunger and where they want to go.
[On Playing Florida State]
Florida State is going to be Florida State. They keep bringing in experience, athletic volleyball players. This match will be fun because it has become a rivalry. We got them in the NCAA Tournament in 2019, but they got us last year in five after we went up 2-0. We look forward to the opportunity to write the next chapter of what hopefully is going to be a long book of rivalries between us.
[On Playing Georgia]
Georgia's 3-3 is deceiving; we know they are better than 3-3. They are athletic, competitive, have tournament experience, and they are coached by a coach who has been at the Olympics. I have a ton of respect for him. He has revitalized that program into a team that can challenge the SEC every year.
PARKING
Parking is available in Garage F on Friday, but due to other events on campus, fans can park in free lots on campus or Garage H for $20.
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