Boxscore (PDF)
 
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – University of North Florida volleyball saw a seven-match winning streak come to an end on Friday night when the Ospreys dropped a 3-1 Atlantic Sun Conference-opening match at Northern Kentucky at Regents Hall.
 
“It was a tough match,” said head coach Steve Loeswick. “NKU is a very good team and I thought both teams battled throughout all four sets. They were just able to stay in system better than us late in a few sets and that turned the tables in their favor.  We're going to regroup and attempt to play at a more consistent, high level against a very good Lipscomb team tomorrow.”
 
Paige Pridgeon led the Ospreys with an 18-kill, 13-dig double-double. Meanwhile, Dagnija Medina hit .423 and made 14 kills. Britt Claessens put up 38 assists and Nicole Baran added 22 digs.
 
Shelby Buschur hit .513 for the match and accumulated 22 kills. Kelly Morrissey (15 kills, 15 digs) and Jenna Schreiver (44 assists, 16 digs) each had a double-double for the Norse.
 
Throughout the match, UNF had to contend with a solid hitting Northern Kentucky team that hit .302 for the match. The Norse hit over .300 in two of the match's four sets, going .342 in the first set and then .341 in the third.
 
UNF battled to keep the first set close. The Ospreys cut a four-point Northern Kentucky lead down to one when a Marija Pantovic-Carolyn Jenkins block made it 17-16 in favor of the Norse. However, a late four-point Northern Kentucky run proved to be costly as the Norse were able to pull away from UNF to claim the first set.
 
The second set saw Northern Kentucky go up by as many as five when a Buschur kill put the Norse up 17-12. UNF fought back and erased the deficit behind a seven-point run that include five Osprey kills – two from Medina and Claessens and one from Cari Whitmire. Claessens' second kill capped the run and put UNF up 22-19. The Ospreys closed out the set with a Medina kill and tied the match at 1-1.
 
An early run gave UNF the advantage in the third set. However, Northern Kentucky fought back and went up 17-15 behind a four-point run midway through the set. The Ospreys and Norse went back and forth over the next few points until Northern Kentucky used a five-point run to end the set and go up 2-1 in the match.
 
UNF attempted to remain close to Northern Kentucky during the fourth set. However, a pair of four-set runs allowed the Norse to distance themselves from the Ospreys. Northern Kentucky led by as many as five on several occasions, including at 22-17. The Ospreys trimmed North Kentucky's advantage down to two, using a Norse attacking error to make it 22-20. The Norse closed out the match by getting three of the final four points.
 
The Ospreys return to action tomorrow at Lipscomb, who swept Jacksonville on Friday evening. Match time is set for 3 p.m., EST/2 p.m. CST from Allen Arena.