Volleyball Falls to Utah in Salt Lake City

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - In the latter of a two-match west-coast swing, the UCF volleyball team dropped a Friday night Halloween tilt with Utah in three sets.

Just two days after upsetting No. 17 BYU in Provo, the Knights couldn’t replicate their magic, as the Utes sided out at a 70-percent rate to halt any attempts from the visitors to find their footing in the contest.

“Utah was outstanding at the net tonight, which made it really difficult for our hitters to find any long-term success. While I thought our defensive effort and execution improved throughout the match, we just couldn’t find any real rhythm in the sideout game," said head coach Matt Botsford after the match.

QUICK HITS

• Avah Armour continued her stretch of performances with 10 or more kills, securing 14 on the night. The junior has tallied double digits in 12 consecutive contests.
• Armour has secured 10 or more kills in a match more times than she hasn’t since making her collegiate debut in 2023, with 48 10-plus-kill outings in 72 career matches.
• Armour led the Knights in kills, aces and points for the fourth contest this season.
• Utah’s 18 blocks marked the most of any opponent against the Knights this campaign.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The opening eight points of the match were all from the hosts, with three attacking errors giving the Knights their first three of the night. After a four-point Utes swing and a subsequent UCF timeout eventually woke up the Black and Gold attack, as Armour and Cohen combined for multiple kills to keep the Knights within striking distance.

However, as UCF inched closer, Utah continued to apply the pressure and keep the cushion at five before pulling away and claiming the opening set, 25-17. 

The Knights’ struggles continued in the second. Having kept the set close, facing just a two-point deficit heading into the media timeout, UCF couldn’t gain any momentum as Utah was siding out above a 70-percent rate. The Utes authored a four-point run out of the break to double their advantage and take first control of the match, 25-19.

In line with the opening two sets, both sides remained even early on. UCF held a two-point lead and began to navigate Utah’s presence at the net, though the Utes persisted and denied multiple Black and Gold attempts to build a 22-16 lead of their own. 

A late Knights charge forced a timeout from Utah at 22-20 and again at 24-22 after fending off a pair of set points. While UCF looked to have cut the deficit to just one, a Utes challenge was deemed successful, clinching the sweep for the hosts.

UP NEXT

UCF will return to The Venue for a pair of exciting contests. After welcoming Houston for the annual Space Game on Thursday, the Knights will honor their seniors on Saturday against Iowa State.

SINGLE GAME AND SEASON TICKETS ON SALE NOW
UCF volleyball single-match and season tickets are on sale now. Be sure to catch all the action in the program's 50th Anniversary Season. Tickets can be purchased online at ucfknights.com/tickets or by calling the ticket office at (407) 823-1000.

ABOUT UCF ATHLETICS
UCF is a proud member of the Big 12 Conference. Our mission is to positively transform the lives of our students academically, athletically, and personally through a nationally competitive intercollegiate athletics program that enhances the reputation and visibility of the University. We strive to be Florida's preeminent athletic program, representing UCF and our community with distinction on the national stage as "Orlando's Hometown Team". To learn more about UCF and Athletics, please visit our websites at www.ucf.edu and www.ucfknights.com.