WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina - Despite dropping the first set, the UCF volleyball team took back control of the match and never looked back, defeating Georgetown, 21-25, 25-16, 25-18, 25-18 , in the first of three matches at the Wake Forest Invitational this weekend.
After formidable performances against NC State, Avah Armour and Kiki Horne were dominant once again in the win, combining for 26 kills and 30.5 points. Freshman Natasha Casey also turned heads once again, with her six aces marking the most by a freshman at UCF since 2021.
QUICK HITS
- The Knights have hit .320 or better in each match to start the season, joining the 2025 squad who achieved the same feat.
- Horne’s new season-high 14 kills mark the second-most in her career, along with 24 combined kills across the last two matches. Her .540 hitting percentage across the last two matches mark a career high.
- For the second-consecutive season under Botsford and the fourth-straight campaign overall, the Knights have started the season 4-0. UCF also moves to 6-1 in non-conference matches away from home under Botsford.
- The Knights set a season-high with 11 service aces in the win, marking the most since tallying 14 at Houston on Oct. 22, 2025. Casey’s six aces mark the most by a freshman at UCF since Katelyn Grimes recorded seven against Florida Atlantic on Sept. 17, 2021.
- UCF continued its dominance at the net with its fourth-consecutive double-digit blocking performance. The Knights are averaging as a team 3.3 blocks per set through the early stages of the 2026 campaign.
- With 35 in the win, Abby Schomers has recorded 35 or more assists in four consecutive matches for the first time since tallying a combined 174 across four contests in 2024.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Knights were put under immediate pressure out of the gate, as the Hoyas amassed a 14-5 advantage early on. While UCF fought back with a 7-0 run out of the media timeout, which included a pair of kills from Horne, the Black and Gold dropped the opening set, 25-21.
UCF’s continued efforts down the stretch of the first carried into the second, with the Knights returning the favor to jump out to 14-5 lead of their own. Armour, who tallied three kills in the opening set, came alive in the second to bolster the UCF attack, totaling five kills to complement a pair of aces and kills from Casey.
The reigning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week would provide the set-clincher to level the contest for the Knights. 25-16.
An efficient attack continued into the third, as the Knights were hitting above a .400 clip through the efforts of Horne, who broke into double digits for the second consecutive match, and middles Sasha Cohen and Ella Chapman.
Service pressure stagnated the Georgetown structure, with Casey adding her fourth ace to put the Knights up 15-7 at the media timeout, marking a career-high for the first-year standout. Timely blocks at the net widened the UCF lead, though the Hoyas fought back to cut a once eight-points lead to just four.
The Knights immediately found their footing, however, as Horne’s 12th kill of the day and a clutch solo block from Chapman secured the Black and Gold the one-set advantage, 25-18.
Both sides exchanged blows to begin the fourth set, eventually sitting level at 14-all. A trio of errors from the Hoyas opened the door for the Knights, who promptly took advantage with aces from Alexa Haley and Shomers, before a block from Armour and Cohen put the finishing touches on a four-set triumph, 25-18.
UP NEXT
UCF and hosts Wake Forest will meet Saturday at 5:30 p.m. for the second match of the weekend, live on ESPN+.
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 2026. 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.