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Kayce Litzau

Volleyball Preview: South Florida, UCF

10/27/2022 9:57:00 AM

WICHITA STATE (10-10, 5-4 American)
 
Friday, Oct. 28 (7:00 p.m. CT) vs. South Florida (7-13, 1-7 American)
Wichita, Kansas (Charles Koch Arena)
Live Stats // Watch

Sunday, Oct. 30 (1:00 p.m. CT) vs. #25 UCF (17-1, 9-1 American)
Wichita, Kansas (Charles Koch Arena)
Live Stats // Watch
 

Wichita State looks to bounce back from a pair of five-set defeats on the road with a pair of home matches against South Florida and #25 UCF.

Both matches will be streamed live on ESPN+.

Track live scoring at shockerstats.com.

SCENE SETTERS:
  • Wichita State returns to the friendly confines of Charles Koch Arena for a pair of American Athletic Conference matches against Sunshine State foes, hosting South Florida on Friday night and #25-ranked UCF on Sunday afternoon.
  • This will be the second trip to Wichita for UCF during the 2022 season. The Knights were forced to relocate their scheduled home match against the Shockers due to the impact of Hurricane Ian, defeating Wichita State in Wichita on October 2. South Florida was unable to make the trip, forcing a postponement of the match that is unlikely to be rescheduled.
  • UCF reentered the AVCA Top 25 on Monday, grabbing the final spot in the rankings. The Knights dropped out of the Top 25 after a loss earlier in the season to Houston.
  • The Knights will be the fifth ranked opponent the Shockers have faced this season. Wichita State previously fell against #18 Creighton, #19 Kansas, #24 UCF and #25 Houston.
  • The Shockers are coming off a pair of five-set defeats last week, falling on the road to #24-ranked Houston and Tulane. In both losses, the Shockers dropped the first set, won the next two, and then lost sets four and five.
  • The Shockers seek their first win against ranked opposition since 2017 on Sunday. Wichita State defeated #8 Creighton on September 15, 2017 (also the program's highest-ever win) and have since lost 15 straight against teams in the AVCA Top 25.
  • The Shockers RPI dropped five spots to its present rank of 73. Wichita State trails Houston (11), UCF (19) and SMU (55) among teams in The American.
LOOKING BACK:
  • Wichita State suffered a pair of five-set defeats on the road at Houston (20-25, 27-25, 25-22, 18-25, 11-15) and Tulane (17-25, 25-19, 25-23, 21-25, 4-15).
  • All three five-set losses for Wichita State this season have featured a loss in the opening set, wins in sets two and three, and losses in the final two frames.
  • The four points scored in the final set at Tulane are the fewest that Wichita State has scored in a single set in the rally scoring era (began in 2001).
  • It was a week of ups and downs for the Shockers in the injury department. Opposite Sophia Rohling returned to the court briefly on Friday and then in a full-time capacity on Sunday, recording eight kills in 27 attempts, but Wichita State was without the services of starting libero Lily Liekweg, who was injured midway through the match at Houston. Defensive specialist Annalie Heliste was also injured late on Sunday.
  • Lara Uyar got the initial starting nod at libero in Liekweg's absence, but it was ultimately Morgan Weber who donned the alternate jersey for the final four sets, recording eight digs and 18 service receptions.
  • Liekweg is now just 32 digs shy of 1,000 in her collegiate career.
  • Sophomore defensive specialist Kylie Marneris earned her first game action of the 2022 season last week, entering in the third set against Houston and fifth set against Tulane.
  • Middle blocker Natalie Foster continued her torrid pace with a pair of excellent matches. The sophomore combined for 32 kills while committing just five attack errors, good for a cumulative hitting percentage of .415. She added two service aces against Houston and six blocks against Tulane.
WSU-SOUTH FLORIDA SERIES:
  • Wichita State has claimed all seven meetings against the Bulls, six of which have taken place since the Shockers joined The American in 2017.
  • The Shockers won the lone non-conference matchup in 2005, a 3-0 victory in East Lansing, Michigan as part of the Spartan Classic.
  • Wichita State has lost just a single set over the course of the seven matches (3-1 win in 2018). The Shockers bested the Bulls 25-17, 25-18, 25-17 last season at Koch Arena and 25-18, 25-15 and 25-21 in Tampa. The wins bookended the Shockers eight-match winning streak.
SCOUTING THE BULLS:
  • South Florida enters play on Friday with an overall record of 7-13, including 1-7 in American Athletic Conference play. The Bulls lone conference win came in five sets over East Carolina on October 14.
  • Since the start of conference play, the Bulls are hitting just .154 as a team, the joint-lowest mark in The American alongside Temple.
  • South Florida ranks second in the AAC with 2.45 blocks per set in AAC matches, trailing only UCF.
  • Six different Bulls average between 2.15 and 3.12 points per set, led by junior Marta Cvitkovic.
  • The South Florida roster features a unique mix of youth and experience. There is just one junior on the roster (Cvitkovic).
  • Former San Jose State and Cal State Bakersfield head coach Jolene Shepardson is in her third season with the Bulls, the same program that she led to a pair of NCAA tournament appearances as a player (2000 and 2002).
WSU-UCF SERIES:
  • UCF leads the all-time series with the Shockers 5-2, with all seven matches in American Athletic Conference play.
  • The Knights have won five straight matches in the series, including a sweep in Wichita on October 2. The Shockers held just one lead in that last meeting, a 1-0 advantage in the opening set.
  • UCF was the only conference foe to push Wichita State to five sets during the Shockers undefeated run through the American in 2017. The Knights led 2-1 in Orlando, but the Shockers bounced back to take a comfortable fourth set, then got five straight kills from Abbie Lehman in set five to escape with the win.
SCOUTING THE KNIGHTS:
  • UCF has won four consecutive AAC championships, with a staggering 67-4 mark in conference play from 2018 onward. The Knights lost twice to Cincinnati during the 2019 regular season, once at home to Houston in 2021, and earlier this season to the Cougars on the road. Only Houston, Cincinnati and Wichita State took more than one set from the Knights last season.
  • UCF is off to a 17-1 start in 2022, including Power Five wins over Syracuse, Kansas State, Miami and Kansas. The Knights rolled through two home tournaments plus the Jayhawk Classic in Lawrence, and have swept every AAC opponent this season with the exception of the loss to Houston.
  • The Knights possess one of the most potent offenses in the country, ranking third nationally with a .318 hitting percentage, sixth with 13.32 assists per set, and fifth with 14.37 kills per set.
  • All-American McKenna Melville ranks third in the country in points per set (5.88), while middle Abby Hansen is third with a .447 hitting percentage. Setter Amber Olson checks in fourth in assists per set (11.52).
  • Melville is on pace to be a five-time honoree to the All-AAC First Team, and has been named conference Player of the Year in consecutive seasons.
  • Head Coach Todd Dagenais is now in his 15th season leading the Knights, and is the program's all-time wins leader. He has guided UCF to five NCAA tournament appearances.
UP NEXT:
  • The Shockers go on the road to tangle with East Carolina and Temple.
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