Volleyball: Tulane drops Friday night match against UCF to open road trip

ORLANDO, Fla. – Sophomore Erika Hansel tied her season-high with 14 kills, but Tulane volleyball could not find its offensive rhythm Friday night as it lost in straight sets (25-18, 25-23, 25-21) at UCF. The Green Wave fall to 13-15 overall, 2-13 The American with the loss.

The Green Wave jumped out in front, 2-0, to open the first set, but UCF regained control with a 13-5 run before winning, 25-18. Tulane struggled to piece together a consistent offensive attack, recording a team hitting percentage of .184 in the first. Hansel led with five kills and freshman outside hitter Lexie Douglas attacked to a percentage of .400 on three kills, while senior setter Justine Bowers tallied five assists.

UCF strengthened its hold on the match in the second set, winning 25-23. Tulane trailed by as much as five, but Hansel did the heavy lifting, providing five kills, to power the Green Wave and tie the set at 18. UCF, however, fought off Tulane’s repeated rallies to win the set. McHugh notched eight more kills, helping hold UCF to an attack percentage of .243.

UCF sealed the match win in third set, resisting the Green Wave’s efforts to extend the match. Again tied at 18, UCF created separation with a 4-1 run, as Tulane attack percentage dropped to .154, before locking down the win, 25-21. Hansel added four kills in the set to tie her season-high.

Bowers finished with a match-high 19 assists, while McHugh posted a team-high 16 digs. Douglas finished with seven kills and 10 digs, falling short of a double-double.

Up Next
Tulane moves onto Tampa, Fla. for a match against USF, scheduled for 12 p.m., Sunday. USF lost in straight sets to Houston Friday afternoon.

Single-game tickets for the 2017 season remain on sale. Tickets may be purchased by calling 504-861-WAVE(9283), logging onto TulaneTix.com or visiting the ticket office at the James W. Wilson Jr. Center.

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