TAMPA, Fla. (SMU) – USF won the last three sets to defeat SMU 3-2 Friday night (23-25, 15-25, 25-22, 25-22, 15-10). Rachel Woulfe and Brittany Adams led all attackers with 15 kills, but the Bulls finished with 15 blocks.

With the win, the Bulls improved to 16-7, 5-5 in the American Athletic Conference, while SMU dropped to 8-12, 5-5 in The American. With SMU leading 10-9, the Bulls scored the last six points of the match to complete the comeback.

USF won the third set, 25-22, to avoid the sweep. Trailing 23-17, the Mustangs went on a 5-1 run to cut the lead to two, 24-22. The rally included three points against set point for the Bulls, but USF took advantage of an SMU error on its fourth set-point attempt for the win.

The Bulls took the fourth set, 25-22. USF took a 10-5 lead to start the set, but SMU fought back. Kennedy's block capped off a 5-1 run by the Mustangs, tying the score 14-14. After USF scored a kill, SMU rallied for three straight points to take its first lead of the set. The Bulls then scored four straight to take a 19-17 lead. The score was tied two more times, but SMU never recaptured the advantage.

Linden thwarted the USF comeback attempt, scoring a kill on her second swing of the rally to give SMU a 25-23 win and the lead in the match. SMU led 24-20, but USF scored three before the SMU senior scored her fifth kill of the set. Woulfe also had five kills in the opening set to lead the Mustangs offensively.  

SMU took a two-set lead in the match with a double-digit win in the second, 25-15. The Mustangs scored seven of the first 10 points of the set, and then went on a 9-1 run for a 16-5 lead. The Bulls came back to cut the lead in half, 20-15, but SMU scored the next five unanswered to end the set.

The Mustangs play at UCF Sunday at 1 p.m. ET/12 p.m. CT.