Mission Accomplished: Volleyball Soars Past Houston in Dominating Sweep

ORLANDO - In its third Space Game of the season, UCF volleyball launched into orbit and never looked back, rocketing past the Houston Cougars in a dominating sweep (25-13, 25-18, 25-18) Thursday night at The Venue.

In their previous match this season, the Knights traveled to Houston and won a close 3-2 contest, leaving for an anticipated rematch. In front of the home crowd, UCF doubled down on its win and put up one of its best performances since starting conference play this season. 

The squad set the tone in the first, holding the Cougars to a mere 13 points, a trend that continued throughout the brilliant display.

After the win, both UCF players and fans were treated to a drone show, put on by the University for its first-ever “Space Week,” which celebrates UCF’s place as the leader in providing aerospace and defense talent across the nation.

Quick Hits

• For the first time this season, UCF sided out at 70 percent or better in each set, stifling any momentum for the Cougars on Thursday night.
• Houston’s minimal 13 first-set points marked the fewest the Knights have allowed in any set this season.
• Armour paced the Knights once again, securing 10 kills in the match to continue her torrid stretch in conference play. The double-digit performance marked her 13th consecutive match with 10 or more kills to her name.
• UCF’s defense continued to cause chaos for opposition attacks, with its latest display holding the Cougars to just a 0.176 hitting percentage. It marks the eighth match this season the Knights have held a team to a sub-.200 hitting percentage.

How it happened

The first set of the night started with errors from both teams before UCF found their footing to take a 16-8 lead. Houston attempted to mix up their attack strategy, hoping the change of pace would confuse the Knights, but seven digs from Alexa Haley helped neutralize the Houston offense.

Avah Armour helped the Knights rally, tallying seven kills and ending the set (25-13) with an ace, electrifying the home crowd. 

Houston showed signs of life in set two, keeping the Knights at bay early on. The Black and Gold, however, pulled ahead, making some clutch plays down the stretch. Four kills from Reaghan Thompson and three from Sasha Cohen helped the Knights take the set 25-18.

Set three saw Houston keep it close all the way through, attempting to claw back from the two-set deficit. The set featured 14 ties and five lead changes, with the Knights ultimately prevailing.

A few crucial mistakes from Houston allowed UCF to put them away late, capping off a strong night from the Black and Gold. The Knights took the set 25-22, putting an exclamation point on their third home win in conference play.

Up Next

The Knights will remain at home for their next game, taking on No. 24 Iowa State on Saturday for Senior Knight.

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.