For the first time since 2003, UH volleyball beat a ranked opponent as the Cougars knocked off No. 23 UCF on Friday night at Fertitta Center. | Sean Thomas/The Cougar
The UH volleyball team knocked off No. 23 UCF in four sets on Friday night at Fertitta Center, handing the Knights their first loss of the season.
With the victory, the Cougars improved to 14-2 overall and 5-0 in American Athletic Conference play.
The win was UH’s first against a nationally ranked opponent since 2003.
In the first set, UCF jumped out on a 7-4 run to lead early. The Cougars found a rhythm and tied the set at 12-12 before taking the lead. Several one-point gaps occurred in the set but UH pulled away to squeeze out the first set 25-23.
UCF had momentum in the second set by jumping out to an early 10-7 lead which it maintained until the score was tied at 18-18. The set went back and forth until the Knights took a two-point lead before winning the set 25-22.
UH started the third set strong at first by jumping forward to a 7-4 lead before UCF tied the score. Both teams seesawed until UH took over the set with four unanswered points to take a 20-16 advantage.
Service errors and other mistakes kept it close for UCF as it tied the set at 24-24. UH hung on to outlast UCF and won the third set 26-24.
UCF led early in the fourth set, but the Cougars powered through to a 13-5 scoring run to lead 15-10. UH took the lead at 21-15 and despite a late push by UCF, the Cougars held on to win the fourth set and knock off UCF.
Senior outside hitter Abbie Jackson and graduate student outside hitter Isabel Theut combined for 93 total attacks that translated to 41 points for the Cougars.
