ORLANDO - After a sweep from Arizona State and a win against Arizona last weekend, UCF volleyball returns to The Venue this week to face Iowa State on Thursday, Nov. 5 at 6 p.m. and Houston on Sunday, Nov. 8 at 1 p.m.
Back At Home
The Knights return to The Venue to face Iowa State on Thursday and Houston on Sunday. For the second time this season, UCF will face Iowa State and is working to win against the Cyclones after a 3-0 loss in September. On Sunday, UCF invites Houston to the court in another matchup looking to defeat the Cougars for the second time this season. With four Big 12 wins under its belt, UCF has found its rhythm and is in a stronger position to face both opponents.
Dominant Defense
Cohen led the Knights in the attack against the Wildcats hitting .316 for seven kills, the third most behind Avah Armour and Kiki Horne. She garnered six blocks during the match, marking her fifth time reaching six or more blocks in a match this season. Her performance over the weekend pushed her into the Big 12 ranking for blocks, naming her 10th in the conference with a 1.16 average per set.
Assisting the Attack
Mikayla Porter reached her highest assists in a three-set match at 36 in against the Wildcats, her third highest all season. As she has filled the role of starting setter, the Black and Gold have rallied to maximize her skill both on the court and at the service line. Porter boasts strong service drives, only dropping below .800 four times this season.
Hitting Percentage
The Knights rank third in the Big 12 in hitting percentage, boasting a .274 clip through 14 matches. The mark is in large part due to the efforts of UCF’s middles, Ella Chapman and Sasha Cohen. Cohen ranks fourth in the league with a .385 clip, while Chapman is firing on a .384 clip of her own. The Knights have hit .280 or higher in 12 matches this season and have eclipsed .300 on nine occasions.
Freshman Sensation
Freshman Natasha Casey has made her mark through her first 21 collegiate matches, and stands as the NCAA leader in aces per set (0.75). The Orlando native has downed two or more aces in 10 matches and three or more in nine contests. Against Kansas, Casey tallied six aces in four sets, while her career high of seven against Virginia came in just three sets. Casey is one of two freshmen in the top-15, and the national leader is looking to follow in Skylar English’s footsteps, who led the NCAA in 2025 with 0.71 aces per set.
Non-Conference Recap
The Knights concluded their non-conference play with an 8-2 record, which included six sweeps and an overall set clip of 26-8. For the first time since 2022, the Black and Gold fired off four consecutive sweeps, defeating Davidson, Stetson, Virginia and UAlbany in commanding fashion. Against Power Four opponents, UCF went 2-2, which was highlighted by a pair of sweeps over NC State and Virginia and a 2-1 mark against ACC opponents.
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.