Final Stats

STATESBORO, Ga. - After failing to find a strong rhythm in the first game of Friday night's match against Georgia Southern, the University of North Florida women's volleyball team put up a tough fight in the final two games but dropped its first match of the year by scores of 30-19, 30-28 and 30-26.

Junior Kavie Sturch led UNF with nine kills and a .286 hitting percentage. Sturch also chipped in on defense with 11 digs. The Lady Ospreys hit just .176 on the night while the Lady Eagles hit .274. UNF combined for 18 ball handling and setting errors.

"The main issue tonight was nerves," said head coach Kevin Campbell, who coached in her first match at the helm of the UNF program. "We came out really tight in the first game. We were nervous and couldn't execute, meaning we hesitated. We played well in the third game, we still didn't have enough fire to win the tough points."

After falling behind by as many as seven points in the second game, UNF squashed the deficit and came back to take a 24-23 lead on a kill from Sturch. But three key errors turned the tide and allowed GSU to close out the game on a 6-4 run. Two of the errors were committed by freshman Madeline Belvin, who had a bad set and ball handling error. Sturch also had a serve hit the net.

The Lady Ospreys came out with the same grit and determination in the third game, overcoming a 15-10 shortfall to tie it at 17. UNF kept it close down the stretch and made it a gut-wrencher, twice pulling to within one point of the GSU lead. A kill by senior Claire Yonutas made it 25-24 in favor of the Lady Eagles, but GSU was grab the momentum and close out the match on a 6-3 run.

UNF"s first game jitters were apparent in the first game after the Lady Ospreys allowed GSU to go on a 12-3 run and take an eight point lead that proved to be insurmountable. UNF hit .118 in the game and committed six ball handling errors.

Belvin led UNF with 28 assists, while junior Nikki Prock notched a team-high 14 digs. Yonutas and senior Maegan Weisert each had seven kills.

The Lady Ospreys will try to rekindle their competitive flame tomorrow when they take on Georgia at 12 p.m. followed by a 5 p.m. match with Stetson.