Boxscore (PDF)
 
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Despite a strong hitting performance in the first two sets, University of North Florida volleyball dropped a 3-0 (25-23, 25-23, 25-16) match at Jacksonville on Friday night at Swisher Gymnasium.
 
"Nobody likes to lose, especially to your cross-town rival, but I was very encouraged with the way that we played, especially with the first two sets," said head coach Steve Loeswick. "We were point-for-point in those two sets and were just one big play from taking either of those sets."
 
The Ospreys hit .385 through the first two sets, registering a .375 hitting percentage in the first set and then .393 in the second. Anna Budinska led UNF with 12 kills, while Cameron McGuire and Erin Edwards hits .583 and .556, respectively. Abby Fesl put up 21 assists and Cari Whitmire tallied nine digs.
 
Kylie Jacob and Sammie Strausbaugh recorded 13 and 11 kills, respectively. Kendall Courtney made 40 assists and Strausbaugh dug nine balls.
 
The match began with a close first set that included 13 ties and five lead changes. Down by one, back-to-back kills from Carina Hoff and Saelina Dunn provided UNF with an 18-17 lead. After trading points, Jacksonville went on a three-point run to take a 21-19 lead on a Gabriela Roman kill. UNF battled back to tie the set twice, including at 23-23. After several great defensive plays, the Ospreys got the set-tying point on a kill from Budinska. However, kill from Roman and an Osprey ball handling error gave Jacksonville the set's final two points.
 
Despite coming back towards the end of the second set, UNF was unable to overcome a slow start. The Ospreys trailed by as many as seven early with a kill from Jacob putting the Dolphins up 10-3. UNF gradually chipped away at Jacksonville's lead and came to within three when a Hoff kill made it 18-15. UNF and Jacksonville traded points until a kill from Edwards sparked critical three-point run that kept the Ospreys alive in the set. Facing set point, UNF's run brought the Ospreys to within one as UNF made it 24-23 on a Budinska kill, but Jacksonville captured the set on the next point on an Alyssa Robertson kill.
 
Jacksonville began to pull away from the Ospreys midway through the third set. UNF found itself trailing 20-13 on a kill from Strausbaugh. Although back-to-back Budinska kills brought UNF to within five, Jacksonville used a four-point run to take a nine-point 24-15 lead. A kill from Budinska kept UNF alive facing match point, but a dump from Courtney was the Dolphins' match-winning point.
 
UNF returns to action with three home matches next week. The Ospreys' homestand begins on Tuesday against Stetson at 6 p.m., at UNF Arena.