Fairs leads Bulls to two-win weekend

ORACLE PHOTO / CASPER YEN

USF finished its non-conference schedule with a winning weekend, taking two of three matches in the Pitt Panther Invitational. 

USF (6-6) began the weekend with a four-set loss to Pittsburgh (11-1) on Friday, but defeated Delaware and Sacred Heart on Saturday to push its record to .500 for the first time this season. 

The Bulls’ first victory of the weekend took five sets to nail down because they lost the third and fourth sets, which allowed Delaware (7-8) to take the match into the final set. 

Junior outside hitter Erin Fairs had a double-double in the match and led the team with 21 kills. 

Sophomore outside hitter Dakota Hampton contributed a double-double in the critical match as well, recording 11 kills and 17 digs.

The Bulls ended the weekend with a three-set sweep of Sacred Heart (5-7). Fairs led the team with 10 kills in a match in which 12 players saw court time. 

After beginning the season with three straight losses at the Mortar Board Premiere, the Bulls have rebounded, winning two out of three matches in each of the past three weekends. 

USF will continue on the road Friday when it travels to Oklahoma to play its first conference match of the year against Tulsa. The match begins at 8 p.m.