Boxscore (PDF)
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – University of North Florida volleyball made a season-high 13.0 blocks as the Ospreys fended off cross-town rival Jacksonville 3-1 (25-22, 26-24, 20-25, 25-20) at a boisterous Swisher Gymnasium in this season's first SunTrust River City Rumble match. The win closed out an eight-match road swing for the Ospreys.
“I thought they did a great job staying together through some of those close sets. We played with good composure and made a few plays at the end of the first and second sets that gave us the momentum,” said head coach Steve Loeswick.
“This was awesome tonight,” continued Loeswick. “The fans were great on both sides. We had a great turnout with UNF fans. It definitely was a fun place to play. I know our girls really enjoy playing in front of a big group and did a great job.”
Senior
Carolyn Jenkins posted a rare kill-block double-double. Jenkins was one of three players in the match with 13 kills. She also made a career-high 10 blocks, including two solo and eight assist.
Paige Pridgeon and
Marija Pantovic added to the Osprey offense with 13 and 10 kills, respectively.
Britt Claessens put up 46 assists, while
Nicole Baran tallied 21 digs.
Gabriela Roman (10 kills, 15 digs) and Kendall Courtney (43 assists, 15 digs) each had a double-double for the Dolphins. Sammie Strausbaugh led the Jacksonville offense with 13 kills.
Late points allowed UNF to prevail in both the first and second sets. In the first set, UNF erased a late three-point deficit. Trailing 20-17, the Ospreys capitalized on three-straight Jacksonville errors to tie the set. Points went back and forth between UNF and the Dolphins until a kill from Jenkins gave UNF the 23-22 lead.
Kelsey Smith served up a pair of set-winning aces to give UNF the first set win.
The Ospreys erased another late deficit in the second set, this time five points. Jacksonville strung together a four-point run in order to go up 22-17. However, UNF clawed back and cut the Dolphins' lead down to one on a critical Pantovic-
Dagnija Medina block that made it 23-22. A couple points later, UNF tied the set at 24-24 on block by Jenkins and Pantovic. A kill from Pantovic and another Pantovic-Jenkins block sealed the set win for the Ospreys and gave UNF a 2-0 advantage in the match.
Like the first two sets, the third set was closely contested with 14 ties occurring. The final tie of the set came on a kill from Jenkins to make 16-16. However, Jacksonville went on a costly three-point run that put a little distance in between the Ospreys and the Dolphins. Jacksonville's run allowed the Dolphins to go up 19-16. Although UNF came to within two several times, Jacksonville ended the set on a three-point run.
UNF pulled away early in the fourth set and built up a six-point lead several occasions. Among those occasions was a 17-11 lead that came from a Pantovic kill. The Dolphins eventually cut UNF's lead into half, but several runs allowed UNF go up by seven. A kill from Jenkins made it 24-17, giving the Ospreys' their seven-point lead. Jacksonville responded by getting the set's next three points, but a match-winning kill from Jenkins seal the match for UNF.
The Ospreys make their first return to UNF Arena in nearly three-and-a-half weeks on Tuesday evening when UNF hosts Stetson. Match time is set for 7 p.m.
