WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – In concluding its two-game road trip and 2026 non-conference slate, the UCF volleyball team fell short in its bid for its first ranked win of the season, falling in straight sets to No. 11 Purdue, 25-13, 25-20, 25-19, at the Holloway Gymnasium Saturday afternoon.
The defeat snapped UCF’s four-game win streak and concludes the program’s non-conference schedule with an 8-2 overall record through the Black and Gold’s first ten games this fall, still representing the program’s best start to a season through ten matches since the 2023 Knights began 8-2 as well.
QUICK HITS
- Senior Avah Armour’s 12 kills paced the Knights overall, representing her seventh match in double figures this fall. Her .393 hitting percentage also marked her second highest in a contest this season, behind only her .444 mark in UCF’s season-opening 3-1 win over Robert Morris Aug. 28.
- Junior Fallon Stewart tallied a season high eight kills in the contest, marking her most in a match since she notched nine against TCU Oct. 9, 2025.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The 11th-ranked Boilermakers took command early in the contest, jumping out to an early 10-6 advantage in the first set, a stretch that saw Armour and freshman Natasha Casey both register kills for the Black and Gold. Purdue would go on to outscore UCF 15-7 the remainder of the frame, though, to clinch the opening set.
The Knights battled back in a middle set that saw scoring ties at 2-2, 3-3, 4-4 and 5-5, before UCF later closed an 11-8 Boilermakers advantage to 11-10 on kills by Stewart and Armour.
The Black and Gold again produced a 3-0 run that closed Purdue’s lead to 15-14, courtesy of an Abby Schomers kill and a pair of Purdue errors, and later continued to hold pressure on the host Boilermakers later in the set, producing two straight points on an Ella Chapman kill and a Natasha Casey ace to trim Purdue’s lead back down to 20-18.
The Boilermakers clinched the match’s second set, though, with a 5-2 run the rest of the way. Stewart and Armour led the way offensively during the frame, with five and four kills, respectively.
UCF remained undaunted in spite of its two-set deficit, leaping out to a 4-3 advantage in the final frame on kills by Stewart and Armour, but Purdue stormed back with a 10-5 run to regain a 14-8 edge.
Later backed up against match point with a 24-15 deficit, the Black and Gold rattled off four consecutive points on a pair of kills by Armour and Stewart, as well as Armour’s first ace of the match, but the Boilermakers clinched the affairs with a final kill to end UCF’s 4-0 scoring run.
UP NEXT
UCF returns to Orlando kick off its 2026 Big 12 Conference schedule with a Thursday, Sept. 24 contest against the visiting Kansas State Wildcats. First serve from The Venue is set for 6 p.m. and will be streamed live on ESPN+.
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.