SPARTANBURG, S.C. — The University of West Florida volleyball team completed an unbeaten weekend in the Big South Tournament with two victories Saturday at the G.B. Hodge Center, sweeping UNCW 3-0 before defeating USC Upstate 3-1.
The Argos held UNCW to a -.010 hitting percentage in a 25-20, 25-15, 25-21 victory to begin the day. UWF followed by hitting .277 and recording 15 blocks against USC Upstate, earning a 25-15, 19-25, 25-19, 25-16 win to improve to 5-0.
UWF 3, UNC Wilmington 0
After falling behind 8-5 in the opening set, UWF responded with seven consecutive points to take a 12-8 lead. Gabi Moulton served two aces during the run, while Kumara Flanagain added a kill.
UNC Wilmington answered and eventually moved ahead 15-13, but UWF pulled even at 16-16 behind a block by Flanagain and Delaney Hanowell and kills from Aniston Cochran and Flanagain. With the score tied at 19, a Hanowell block started a four-point UWF run that gave the Argos control. Talya Sampson later delivered a kill before a UNCW attack error completed the 25-20 win.
Sampson helped UWF build an early advantage in the second set with a kill and two blocks. The Argos extended their lead to 15-8 behind kills from Moulton and Hanowell and another block by Flanagain and Hanowell. Kills from Flanagain, Hanowell and Cochran pushed the margin to 19-11. Cochran then closed the 25-15 set victory with a kill and consecutive service aces.
UWF held an 18-16 lead in the third before the Seahawks won five straight rallies to move ahead 21-18. A UNC Wilmington service error returned the serve to the Argos, and Camryn Brooks remained at the line as UWF scored the final seven points of the match.
The closing run included a block by Kennedy Plummer and Cochran, and a Brooks service ace before Plummer completed the comeback with a kill assisted by Karyna Werley.
Hanowell finished with seven total blocks and five kills. Moulton recorded six kills, 11 assists, two aces and six digs, while Cochran had five kills on seven attacks without an error for a .714 hitting percentage. Flanagain added five kills and five total blocks.
UWF 3, USC Upstate 1
The Argos broke open a 9-9 opening set with a Breazeale kill and two USC Upstate attack errors to move ahead 12-9. After the Spartans cut the lead to 15-13, UWF won seven of the next eight rallies behind kills from Moulton, Hanowell and Sampson.
Sampson returned the serve to UWF with a kill at 20-15, and Brooks served the final four points of the Argos' 25-15 win.
UWF opened the second set with a 4-1 lead, but USC Upstate responded with four straight points. The Argos remained within 15-13 before the Spartans used a UWF attack error and consecutive blocks to extend their advantage to 18-13. USC Upstate evened the match with a 25-19 victory.
The Spartans carried their momentum into the third set and built a 13-10 lead. UWF answered with kills from Hanowell and Flanagain and a Madalyn Mire ace to tie the set at 13.
With the score tied again at 15, UWF scored three straight points, including a Cochran kill and a block by Moulton and Cochran. Breazeale added two kills to stretch the advantage to 20-16, and the Argos closed the 25-19 win behind consecutive blocks and a final Hanowell kill.
Breazeale supplied three early kills in the fourth set before a Cochran kill and a block by Cochran and Sampson gave UWF a 10-8 lead. After USC Upstate pulled within 11-10, Cochran served during a five-point run that extended the advantage to 16-10.
Hanowell followed with consecutive kills and a block as the Argos pushed their lead to 20-12. UWF scored the final three points of the match, with Libby Tulip delivering the clinching kill from Moulton for a 25-16 victory.
Hanowell led the Argos with 16 kills, 22.5 points and 10 total blocks while hitting .414. Breazeale recorded 15 kills, 10 digs and two block assists, while Moulton finished with 35 assists, 17 digs, seven kills and four block assists. Mire collected a team-high 19 digs and added a service ace.
UWF will return next week to host Tampa, Florida Southern, and Spring Hill in the 2026 West Florida Challenge. The Argos will open play on Friday, September 11, against Florida Southern at 5:30 p.m. Live stats will be available on GoArgos.com.
For more information on the UWF volleyball program, visit GoArgos.com and follow the team on social media at @uwfvolleyball (Instagram) and @UWFVolleyball (X).
