Box Score
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Eastern Kentucky beat South Florida, 3-2, in its season-opener on Friday at the Bluegrass Battle hosted by the University of Kentucky in Lexington.
The Colonels won by scores of 19-25, 25-10, 25-19, 18-25 and 15-13.
USF went 17-13 overall and 12-4 in the American Conference last season. The Bulls earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament and lost to Penn State in the first round.
In the decisive fifth set, EKU scored three of the first four points. The Colonels went in front by four, 9-5, on a kill from
Audrey Hudson. Another kill by Hudson kept the margin at four, 11-7. However, the Bulls rallied and closed the gap to one, 11-10, on a block from Laila Ivey and Amelia Wass de Czege. USF made it a 1-point game again, 12-11, on a kill from Ivey. Eastern Kentucky scored the next two points to reach match-point.
Alexis Bull had a kill before a block from
Addison Burke and
Caitlyn Flees made it 14-11. Two straight kills from Addy Brus allowed South Florida to get back within one again, but Burke had the answer with a match-winning kill.
Burke led all players with 21 kills. She made only three errors in 42 attempts for a .429 attack percentage. The sophomore outside hitter also had 13 digs, three blocks and one ace. Hudson finished with 12 kills. Flees had six kills, only one error, a .556 attack percentage and five blocks.
In the opening set, the Colonels broke an 8-8 tie with five straight points. Back-to-back attack errors from USF put EKU in front 13-8. However, the Bulls came right back with five unanswered of their own. Eastern Kentucky led 17-15 after a block by Hudson and Flees, but South Florida scored the next seven points to seize control and went on to take the first 25-19.
The Colonels cruised in the second. Leading 9-6 early, EKU went on a 10-3 run. Eastern took a 10-point advantage, 19-9, on an ace from
Cooper Abney. After South Florida closed the gap to nine, 19-10, the Colonels scored the final six points of the set. A kill from Burke followed by a USF ball handling error finished off the frame 25-10 and tied the match 1-1.
Eastern Kentucky took control midway through the third set. After South Florida tied it 11-11, the Colonels rolled off a 9-1 run to pull away. A kill from Burke made it 20-12.
Emma Closurdo's kill gave EKU set-point, 24-14. Burke finished it off with a kill for a 25-19 victory and a 2-1 lead.
Hudson tied the fourth set at 10-10 with a kill, but the Bulls answered with a 6-1 run and led the rest of the way. An EKU attack error ended the set, 25-18, and allowed USF to tie the match 2-2.
Paula Tomasa had a team-best 15 kills for South Florida. The Bulls held an 11-7.5 edge in blocks but committed 11 service errors.
EKU hit .253 as a team while holding USF to a .207 attack percentage. Eastern had a .280 to .185 edge in hitting percentage in the fifth set.
The Colonels will wrap up play at the Bluegrass Battle against Utah State on Saturday at 2 p.m.
