Volleyball Downs UCF to Open Senior Weekend

Wednesday, November 23

New Orleans, La.

12 p.m. CT

Tulane University

18-13, 10-9

University of Central Florida*

22-10, 12-7

UCF

Tulane

Photo by: Parker Waters

Nov 23, 2016 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

Final Stats | Photo Gallery

NEW ORLEANS – After completing a match sweep in Orlando last month, the Green Wave volleyball team was looking to continue its successes over the Knights in the 2016 season, and a solid Tulane performance on all sides of the ball would result in a 3-1 victory over UCF on Wednesday afternoon at Avron B. Fogelman Arena in the Devlin Fieldhouse. With the win, Tulane improves to 18-13 on the year and 10-9 in the American Athletic Conference.

QUOTE

"I'm very proud of the team today. UCF is playing for a lot and had a possibility of making the NCAA Tournament, so we knew we were going to get a great effort from them. We had a great balanced approach today and everybody contributed and we kept the pressure on. Now we're looking forward to the USF match on Friday and our Senior Day festivities because there's a lot to still play for, but the number one thing we're playing for now is our seniors."

--Tulane head coach Jim Barnes

HOW IT WAS WON

The Green Wave played in dominating fashion for the first two sets, battling with the Knights for the first few points of the day but putting set one away 25-18 on five kills from junior right side Sarah Ray.

In set two, Tulane would once again hold UCF under 20 points, coming away with a convincing 25-15 victory after scoring seven straight points to extend the lead to 17-8. A run of three more consecutive points would send Tulane to the locker rooms up 2-0 at the set break for the second time in this year's series with UCF.

Looking to complete their second three-set sweep of the Knights this year, the Green Wave opened up set three 7-3 but couldn't maintain the early lead, being outhit .306 to .103. Up 2-1 on UCF and looking for another conference win, the Green Wave held the Knights under 20 points for the third time on the day, clinching the 3-1 match victory on a 25-18 set-four win.

On the day, five Tulane players hit over .300, with Sarah Ray leading the Green Wave's offensive efforts with 14 kills. Sophomores Dayna Kern and Hannah Shaw would also notch double-digit kills, hitting .421 and .400, respectively. In addition ,three Green Wave athletes – Tea Juric, Sarah Ray and Kaylie McHugh – each recorded double-digit digs. As a result, Ray and Juric recorded their fifteenth and sixteenth double-doubles of the year.

UP NEXT

Tulane closes out the 2016 season on Friday afternoon at Fogelman in Devlin with a noon contest against USF. Following the match, the Green Wave will honor their five graduating seniors – Annie Shurtz, Lauren Etta, Tea Juric, Makenzie Frieden and Sarah Strasner - as well as student assistant Miah Diirell.