University of North Florida
Presbyterian
VOLLEYBALL WEEKLY:
UNF tries to take Provisional crown
11/20/2008 3:53:05 PM | Volleyball
Lady Ospreys march to Spartanburg, S.C., for season-ending tourney
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The University of North Florida women's volleyball team will have an opportunity this weekend to gain valuable postseason experience for when it becomes eligible for the NCAA Tournament in 2009.
The Lady Ospreys will head to Spartanburg, S.C., for the 2008 NCAA Division I Provisional Invitational, where it will face a multitude of other teams making the transition from Division II to I and have a shot to come home with a championship. Competition will begin at 9 a.m. on Friday with a match against Presbyterian.
UNF has the second-best record of the teams in the tournament field, next to Central Arkansas' overall mark of 20-7, and has faced two teams out of the six- team field - Presbyterian and USC Upstate. The Lady Ospreys hold a combined 28-2 advantage against both teams, and UNF has defeated the Spartans 23- straight times.
The tournament will give UNF an opportunity to end 2008 on a strong note after dropping its final two conference matches last weekend in Jacksonville (3-0 to Florida Gulf Coast, 3-1 to Stetson). It will be UNF's first postseason action since 2004, its final season of Division II competition, when the Lady Ospreys competed in the NCAA Regional Tournament.
Tournament Field
Pool A
UNF (11-16, 9-11 Atlantic Sun)
North Carolina Central (7-25 Independent)
Presbyterian (10-20, 6-10 Big South)
Pool B
Central Arkansas (20-7, 12-4 Southland)
USC Upstate (8-21, 4-16 Atlantic Sun)
Winston-Salem State (4-25 Independent)
UNF Schedule
Friday, Nov. 21
9 a.m. - UNF vs. Presbyterian
5 p.m. - UNF vs. North Carolina Central
Saturday, Nov. 22
9 a.m. (if UNF is Pool A #3) - UNF vs. Pool B #2
11 a.m. (if UNF is Pool A #2) - UNF vs. Pool B #3
1 p.m. (if UNF wins 9 a.m. match or is Pool A #1) - UNF vs. 9 a.m. match winner or Pool A #1
3 p.m. (if UNF wins 11 a.m. match) - UNF vs. Pool B #1
7 p.m. Championship (if UNF wins 1 p.m. or 3 p.m. match) - UNF vs. 1 p.m. or 3 p.m. match winner
Tournament Central (with links to live stats and video): Click here
Admission: Free
Series Record vs. Field: UNF leads Presbyterian, 3-0; UNF leads USC Upstate, 25-2; UNF has never met remainder of field
Watch Out For: Sophomore Kaley Read was named to the 2008 All-Atlantic Sun Conference second team on Tuesday. The middle blocker/right side hitter from Tampa, Fla., has been UNF's most consistent threat this season, leading the team in kills (355), kills per set (3.58), kills (355), kills per set (3.38), total blocks (79), block assists (73), blocks per set (0.75), digs (288) and digs per set (2.78). Read finished fifth in the conference in kills per set and kills. She finished fourth in the conference in kills per set (3.54) for A-Sun matches.
Notables: UNF has won nine straight matches against Upstate in Spartanburg ... the Lady Ospreys have won 12-straight matches overall in Spartanburg ... junior Agata Dawidowicz continues to lead the nation aces per set (0.81) ... UNF is 6-10 away from home but are 2-1 in matches that are designated as neutral ... the Lady Ospreys are 2-3 in tournaments this season ... UNF has recorded double- digit aces in nine matches this season, which includes 12 in their most recent match against Stetson.
