Shockers Welcome UCF, USF to Charles Koch Arena
About UCF
The UCF Knights, who were picked as the preseason favorites in The American, enter the weekend at 12-6 overall and 5-1 in conference action after winning at USF, 3-1, and sweeping Memphis at home, 3-0, Oct. 11 and 13...Through 18 matches, the Knights are paced by reigning American Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week, sophomore outside hitter McKenna Melville (284 kills, 4.24 kills/set, 16 aces, 197 digs, seven block solos, 20 block assists), senior setter Erin Olson (374 assists, 5.67 assists/set, 171 digs, 2.59 digs/set), redshirt senior libero/DS Makenzie Kuchmaner (236 digs, 3.52 digs/set, 88 assists) and redshirt junior middle blocker Nerissa Moravec (62 kills, seven block solos, 77 block assists, 1.31 blocks/set)...UCF leads the conference in blocking (2.88 block/set), and ranks second in hitting percentage (.270)...Individually, Melville is second in The American in kills...The Knights are under the direction of 11th season head coach Todd Dagenais.
About USF
The USF Bulls enter the week at 7-13 overall and 1-5 in The American after dropping a pair of home matches to UCF, 3-1, and SMU, 3-1, Oct. 11 and 13...Through 20 matches, the Bulls are led by sophomore outside hitter Lindsey Pilapol (246 kills, 3.19 kills/set, 10 aces, 164 digs, one block solo, 24 block assists), sophomore setter Lauren LaBeck (468 assists, 7.43 assists/set, 18 aces, 124 digs), sophomore defensive specialist CC Clausen (320 digs, 4.16 digs/set, 73 assists, 23 aces) and freshman middle blocker Ally Barnhart (74 kills, five block solos, 62 block assists, 1.10 blocks/set)...USF was picked to finish sixth in The American preseason poll...The Bulls are under the leadership of eighth season head coach Courtney Draper.
I put the Shocks chances against UCF as very slim. The Shocks have a much better chance of picking up a win against USF but far from a slam dunk. In their last 3 matches USF has taken a set in losses to Cincinnati, UCF and SMU. Cincy and SMU swept the Shockers and there is a good chance UCF will sweep on Friday as well.
About UCF
The UCF Knights, who were picked as the preseason favorites in The American, enter the weekend at 12-6 overall and 5-1 in conference action after winning at USF, 3-1, and sweeping Memphis at home, 3-0, Oct. 11 and 13...Through 18 matches, the Knights are paced by reigning American Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week, sophomore outside hitter McKenna Melville (284 kills, 4.24 kills/set, 16 aces, 197 digs, seven block solos, 20 block assists), senior setter Erin Olson (374 assists, 5.67 assists/set, 171 digs, 2.59 digs/set), redshirt senior libero/DS Makenzie Kuchmaner (236 digs, 3.52 digs/set, 88 assists) and redshirt junior middle blocker Nerissa Moravec (62 kills, seven block solos, 77 block assists, 1.31 blocks/set)...UCF leads the conference in blocking (2.88 block/set), and ranks second in hitting percentage (.270)...Individually, Melville is second in The American in kills...The Knights are under the direction of 11th season head coach Todd Dagenais.
About USF
The USF Bulls enter the week at 7-13 overall and 1-5 in The American after dropping a pair of home matches to UCF, 3-1, and SMU, 3-1, Oct. 11 and 13...Through 20 matches, the Bulls are led by sophomore outside hitter Lindsey Pilapol (246 kills, 3.19 kills/set, 10 aces, 164 digs, one block solo, 24 block assists), sophomore setter Lauren LaBeck (468 assists, 7.43 assists/set, 18 aces, 124 digs), sophomore defensive specialist CC Clausen (320 digs, 4.16 digs/set, 73 assists, 23 aces) and freshman middle blocker Ally Barnhart (74 kills, five block solos, 62 block assists, 1.10 blocks/set)...USF was picked to finish sixth in The American preseason poll...The Bulls are under the leadership of eighth season head coach Courtney Draper.
I put the Shocks chances against UCF as very slim. The Shocks have a much better chance of picking up a win against USF but far from a slam dunk. In their last 3 matches USF has taken a set in losses to Cincinnati, UCF and SMU. Cincy and SMU swept the Shockers and there is a good chance UCF will sweep on Friday as well.
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