Volleyball Travels to UCF, Houston

CINCINNATI – The University of Cincinnati volleyball team begins a two-match road swing with UCF on Wednesday night. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. in Orlando, Fla.
 
The Bearcats will then face Houston at 8 p.m. ET on Friday night. Both matches will be streamed on ESPN+.
 
THE RUNDOWN

• Cincinnati will look to snap a five-match losing streak when the Bearcats face UCF on Wednesday night. Cincinnati recently fell at home to Texas Tech in five sets. The Bearcats held the advantage in kills (68-48) and hitting percentage (.250-.199) but committed 15 service errors. UC has committed 26 service errors over its last two matches.
• Freshman libero Faith Frame posted her third career 20-dig effort to go along with seven assists vs. Texas Tech. She has recorded 10-or-more digs in 14 matches and her 3.99 digs per set rank seventh in the league.
• Freshman Lilly Gillespie added a career-high 16 digs vs. TTU. The Bearcats were plus-10 in the category (80-70).
• Sophomore middle blocker Zeta Washington had a season-high 12 kills at a .417 clip vs. Texas Tech. She is averaging 1.87 kills and 0.89 blocks in Big 12 play.
• The Bearcats have used a 6-2 rotation over their last five matches, with Katelyn Lefler and Caroline Endres handling the setting duties. Lefler made her return to the court at Baylor after missing the Kansas match with an injury. She has recorded seven double-doubles this season and ranks 10th in the league in assists per set (9.08). She has dished out 40 or more assists in five matches.
• Junior Carly Glendinning is averaging team highs in kills (3.61), points (4.18) and aces (0.28). She currently ranks sixth in the Big 12 in k/s and seventh in pts/s.
• Glendinning has led the team in kills in 12 matches. She has registered double-digit kills in 13 matches overall, including 20-plus five times. She notched a match-high 21 kills vs. TTU.
• Sophomore Sydney Nolan is second on the team in kills (2.72) and third in digs (2.26). She has posted double-digit kills 11 times and has led the team in the category on four occasions.
• Nolan has five double-doubles on the season, including a stretch of three straight. She has posted 10-plus digs in seven matches.
• Senior Abby Walker ranks eighth in the league in blocks per set (1.09) and 12th in hitting percentage (.332). She has led the team in blocking 13 times and has posted six-or-more blocks in five matches.
• The Bearcats rank fourth in the Big 12 and 90th nationally in blocks per set (2.29). In Big 12 play, they hold the advantage in blocking, 2.10 to 1.82. Their 15 blocks at Bowling Green continue to pace the league and rank 12th in the nation for a three-set match. 
• Cincinnati is 11-1 when outhitting opponents. The Bearcats suffered their first loss of the season in this scenario against Texas Tech, outhitting the Red Raiders .250 to .199.
• Walker is just 38 kills away from reaching 1,000 for her career.
• Endres needs 131 assists to eclipse 1,000 in her career.
• Head coach Molly Alvey is two wins away from 200 at Cincinnati.

 
SERIES HISTORY
Cincinnati holds an 9-18 all-time record against UCF, with the first matchup coming in 1978. The former American Athletic Conference foes met 22 times from 2013-22. UCF held a 15-7 record over Cincinnati during that span. UC swept UCF in its Big 12 home opener earlier this season. The Bearcats picked up their first win over UCF since 2019, snapping a nine-match losing skid to the Knights.
 
UC is 16-13 all-time against Houston. The former American Athletic Conference foes faced off 16 times from 2013-22 with UC holding a 9-7 advantage during that span. The Cougars have won five straight in the series. Prior to that, the Bearcats had won eight in a row.