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UCF Volleyball Shocks #7 USC in Gainesville

Knights defeat Trojans for second time since 2011

UCF Volleyball (Photo: Derek Warden)
UCF Volleyball (Photo: Derek Warden)

Behind a 20-kill performance from Kristina Fisher and 20-dig evenings each from Jordan Pingel and Erin Olson, UCF Volleyball stunned the #7-ranked USC Trojans in four sets in their second match of the Bulby Invitation at the University of Florida.

Huge performances abounded for the Knights:

  • Kristina Fisher: 18 kills on 59 swings
  • Amber Olson: 30 assists
  • Erin Olson: 28 assists, 22 digs
  • McKenna Melville: 15 kills, 13 digs
  • Jordan Pingel: 24 digs
  • Anne-Marie Watson: 13 kills

This win was huge not only from a headlines perspective but also for the Knights RPI, as Coach Dagenais alluded to in our preview interview with him before the season.

Player reaction was as you'd expect:

Jordan Pingel, the lone senior on the team:

Former Knight DeLaina Sarden, who now works at Wisconsin, added:

It's the second time UCF has defeated USC. The Knights knocked off the then-#3-ranked Trojans in Fort Meyers in the 2011 season. Head coach Todd Dagenais was an assistant under legendary USC head coach Mick Haley, who was controversially let go prior to this season.

Dagenais took to Twitter for some post-match analysis:

The Knights get another shot at taking down a ranked team on Sunday when they face #4 Florida in the O'Connell Center to wrap the Bulby Invitational.