Friday, the Bearcats hosted the reigning AAC Champions, the UCF Knights back to Fifth Third Arena, for the first time since capturing the AAC Championship back in March. The Knights come in at 18-6 overall, and are (11-1 ACC), holding ground at the top of the standings within the American Athletic Conference. The Knights are also riding a 7 game win streak, but will the Bearcats be able to stop a high powered Knight offense that is led by reigning AAC Player of the Year, in Mckenna Melville?
The starting lineup for the Bearcats include Maria Mallon, Adria Oliver, Julie Wittekind, Payton Frederick, Abby Walker, Kailea Carrier and Shannon Williams.
Set 1- The Bearcats jumped out to a quick 3-1 lead after a huge block by Adria Oliver got the scoring started for the Bearcats, followed by a Mallon kill, and service ace from Kerstin Ficker, The Bearcats get a huge swing of momentum following a Abby Walker kill, and service ace, as the Bearcats held a 6-3 lead over the Knights. The Bearcats held the momentum early as they had an early 11-8 lead over the knights after an incredible safe by Payton Frederick, which was followed up by a kill by senior outside Maria Mallon, that had Fifth Third Arena on their feet. The energy didn’t stop there as the Bearcats were rolling as Shannon Williams got in on the action with a huge solo block to give the Bearcats their biggest lead of the match at 13-10. The defenses are on full display as they this is a neck and neck battle, consisting of a lot of long rallies, but the Bearcats are holding a 15-13 lead at the first media timeout. The Knights, however tied this match at 16, following a kill, and a service ace, as they were looking to find their momentum here late in the set, as they went on a 3 point run to take a 17-16 lead, before a kill from Maria Mallon. The Bearcats eventually jumped out to a 21-19 lead following kills from Maria Mallon, and the Knights were looking to make a find a way to stop the Bearcats momentum, however the Knights had some trouble doing so as the Bearcats got big kills from Shannon Williams and Adria Oliver to extend the lead to 24-21. The Bearcats got a huge kill from Adria Oliver to take Set 1, 25-22 as they look to carry that momentum over to Set 2.
Set 2, The Bearcats carried that momentum over from Set 1, as they took a 3-1 lead following a a Payton Frederick service ace. The Knights on the other hand, rallied back to tie this match at 3 after their early deficit. The Knights made a great defensive pancake save on a attacking attempt by Maria Mallon, However Emme Madden fires right back with some defense of her own as she got a huge solo Block to tie this back up at 5, and this has been a neck and neck battle here at Fifth Third Arena. The Bearcats were establishing the UCF Blockers high hands at the net and really took advantage of it here in Set 2, as Shannon Williams had two back to back kills off the high hands of the UCF blockers and it has played to the Bearcats advantage here early in this match. The Bearcats got a huge kill as Adria Oliver hammered one straight down ten foot line to give the Bearcats some momentum as they cut the lead to 14-13. The Knights jumped out to a 17-15 forcing the Bearcats to call a timeout as they look to find some momentum and make a late run in the set. The Bearcat went on a 4-0 run to take a 19-18 lead before a Mckenna Melville kill for the Knights. A whole new change of momentum here as the Bearcats forced the Knights to call a timeout trailing 21-19, after the Bearcats got a big kill from setter Emme Madden. The Knights found some momentum late after a kill, and a service ace of their own, followed by a Bearcat attacking error, coach Alvey and the Bearcats were forced to call a timeout to recollect tied at 22. The Knights took a 23-22 lead before Adria Oliver responded with yet another kill off the high hands of the Knights middle blocker. The Bearcats responded with a huge solo block from Kailea Carrier as that gave the Bearcats a 24-23 lead forcing the Knights to call timeout as Fifth Third Arena erupted. Maria Mallon hammered home the final kill as the Bearcats finished Set 2 on a 3-0 run as they took Set 2, 25-23 as they now have a 2 set to 0 lead over the Knights.
Set 3- The Bearcats were looking to complete the sweep over a dominant UCF team, but the Knights weren’t going to go down without a fight. The Bearcats got a huge cross court kill from Abby Walker on the designed slide play to give the Bearcats a 4-3 lead. The Knights found their momentum though as they jumped out to a 8-6 lead, forcing Coach Alvey to call an early timeout to stop the Knights run. The Bearcats cut the deficit to 1, before a kill by McKenna Melville gave the Knights a 10-8 lead. The Knights held that 2 point lead as the Bearcats tried to fight back after that early run by the Knights, However UCF had an answer for everything the Bearcats were throwing at them. The Knights jumped out to a big 21-14 lead, the biggest lead of the match, as they were looking to extend this match to a 4th set, forcing coach Alvey to use her final timeout. The Knights hung on to win Set 3, 25-15 after they outscored the Bearcats 10-2 in the second half of the set, a huge change of momentum for the Knights.
