Boxscore (PDF)
 
MACON, Ga. – The University of North Florida volleyball team captured its second critical Atlantic Sun victory of the weekend, this time having a 3-0 sweep of Mercer at Hawkins Arena on Saturday afternoon.

"I'm very proud of our team for going into two hostile environments and playing with great composure," said head coach Steve Loeswick. "Conference road wins are hard to come by. We won't have too much time to celebrate this weekend's accomplishments; we get back to work on Monday to prepare for an improving Stetson team."
 
It is the second time this season UNF's posted back-to-back sweeps, but the first time since 2008 in which the Ospreys recorded back-to-back sweeps on the road. The last time UNF swept straight opponents away from UNF Arena was against North Carolina Central (Nov. 21) and Winston-Salem State (Nov. 22) at the 2008 NCAA Division I Provisional Tournament in Spartanburg, S.C.
 
Paige Pridgeon (14 kills, 11 digs) and Britt Claessens (37 assists, 11 digs) each had a double-double for the Ospreys. On offense, Dagnija Medina added 13 kills. On defense, Nicole Baran led the team with 13 digs, while Cari Whitmire dug 11 balls.
 
Caroline Carlton and Molly Locke made 13 and 12 kills, respectively, for the Bears. Monica Sanchez put up 30 assists and made 11 digs. Emily Rochefort also had 21 digs.
 
UNF used a key middle-of-the-set run to separate itself from Mercer in the first set. Up by one, Medina knocked down three-straight kills to put the Ospreys up 18-14. The Ospreys further increased their lead to five when a Carolyn Jenkins kill made it 21-16. Although Mercer eventually pulled to within three, back-to-back kills from Pridgeon and Marija Pantovic gave UNF the win and a 1-0 lead for the match.
 
The Ospreys rallied in the second set after finding themselves down late. Trailing 19-15, a kill from Jenkins sparked a three-point run that brought UNF to within one. After Mercer gained a two point led on an Osprey service error, a kill from Pridgeon was the first of four straight UNF points that led to a 22-20 Osprey advantage. UNF and the Bears battled over the set's final points before Medina made the set-winning kill.
 
Tied at 15-15, Pridgeon bookended a six-point run for the Ospreys that allowed UNF to take a commanding 21-15 lead late in the third set. Mercer attempted to chip away at UNF's lead and capitalized on a UNF miscue to come to within two, but the Ospreys sealed the sweep with a block by Anna Budinska.
 
UNF is back in action on Tuesday night for its regular season mid-week and road finale. The Ospreys visit Stetson for a 7 p.m., match at the Edmunds Center.