Boxscore (PDF)
 
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Despite having four players with double-digit kills, University of North Florida volleyball dropped a close 3-2 (22-25, 26-24, 25-19, 19-25, 12-15) match to Mercer Friday evening at UNF Arena.
 
“There were parts of the match where I thought we played as a championship-caliber team,” said head coach Steve Loeswick. “The goal is to increase our percentage of time playing at that level. Mercer played very well. We'll get some rest tonight and get back at it with Kennesaw State tomorrow.”
 
Paige Pridgeon paced the Ospreys with a 21-kill, 21-dig double-double, while Dagnija Medina added a 14-kill, 11-dig double-double. Carolyn Jenkins tallied 16 kills and Marija Pantovic recorded 11. Britt Claessens put up 57 assists.
 
Molly Locke had a 16-kill, 17-dig double-double for Mercer, while Jennifer Katona added 16 kills. Emily Rochefort dug 30 balls, while Monica Sanchez tallied 48 assists.
 
UNF held a late three-point lead in the first set, going up 18-15 on a Medina-Pridgeon block. However, Mercer chipped away at the Ospreys' lead and went up 20-19 on a Locke kill. The Bears then put together a costly three-point run that put them up 23-21. Although a solo Anna Budinska block pulled the Ospreys to within one, Mercer won the set on a pair of kills.
 
In the second set, UNF battled back from being down by three to even the set at 14-14 on a Pantovic kill. From that point, the two teams stayed close to each other for the remainder of the set. Medina eventually helped the Ospreys to win the set, notching a kill and a set-ending ace as UNF even the match at 1-1.
 
The third set looked similar to the first two sets with neither team getting much of an advantage. However, with Mercer up 19-17, a kill from Pridgeon sparked a set-ending 8-0 run that lifted UNF to a third-set victory. Six of UNF's points during that run were the result of kills.
 
Two costly runs in the fourth-set allowed Mercer to pull away from UNF in the fourth set. A five-point run midway through put the Beats up 16-12. A few points later, a four-point spurt gave the Bears a 22-15 lead. UNF was able to come to within five on a Pridgeon kill that made it 23-18, but Mercer got two of the set's final three points to force a decisive fifth set.
 
UNF came out strong in the final set and went up 8-4 on a Pantovic kill. However, after the teams switched sides, Mercer chipped away at the Ospreys' lead and ended the match with a five-point run.
 
The Ospreys finish out the weekend on Saturday when they host Kennesaw State at UNF Arena. Match time is set for 3 p.m.
 
** Tickets for UNF volleyball matches are $5 for Adults; $3 for Youth 17-under, Senior Citizens 55+, Active Military and UNF Faculty/Staff. UNF students with a valid Osprey1 card and children under 2 are free. For more information about tickets, click here.