WEST LAFAYETTE, IND. (Aug. 29, 2014) - Against a team receiving votes in the preseason Top 25 poll this year, the University of South Florida volleyball team had its fans thinking about an upset.

The Bulls (0-2 overall) jumped all over LSU early in Friday evening's match, showcasing an explosive offensive rotation before falling to a strong Tigers squad in four sets, 25-16, 21-25, 22-25, 18-25.

USF looked dominant offensively on the right side as well as in the middle, collecting 32 of its 49 kills from the two positions, while hitting a scalding .439 between four players. LSU took away options for the Bulls' outside hitters however, limiting them to 17 kills and an .086 hitting percentage, slowing down USF just enough to grab the win.

The entire offense got off to a hot start in the first set, carving out 11 kills with just one error as a team to cruise to a 25-16 first-set win. Outside hitters Dakota Hampton and Erin Fairs started quick, collecting a combined four kills on 14 swings.

As LSU focused its attention on the left side for the second set, the Bulls' right side hitters in Bree Scarbrough and Alexus Heidelberg took advantage. The duo each notched three kills on six errorless swings, but LSU's late surge earned the Tigers a 25-21 win, tying the match at one set apiece.

In the final two sets, USF's middle blockers Jennica Mullins and Joli Holland put on a display, combining for 10 kills on 12 attempts as the Bulls found success inside the pins. Mullins, who was a perfect 4-4 on swing-to-kill ratio in the final set, added a pair of blocks in the third, but LSU posted 32 kills in the final two sets to take the match.

Mullins finished with nine kills, four blocks, and was one of three Bulls to hit above .400, collecting a .529 hitting percentage. At .533, only Heidelberg's topped Mullins, as Heidelberg drove home eight kills and added three digs.

Holland put together a strong performance, as the freshman hit .429 with seven kills, six digs and an ace, while Scarbrough recorded eight kills and two blocks.

Defensively, Fairs led the way with 15 digs, and added 11 kills to grab her first double-double of the season. Junior setter Natalia Soares added nine digs and 22 assists, while freshman setter Alex Mendoza poured in an efficient 19 assists to go along with six digs.

The Bulls face No. 14 San Diego Saturday at 5 p.m. in the final game of the tournament.