#VB Battles for 3-2 Win Over Stetson

Tuesday, November 5

Jacksonville, Fla.

6 p.m.

University of North Florida

-917, 59 ASun

Stetson

-1713, 87 ASun

Stetson

North Florida

11/5/2013 9:21:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

By: North Florida Athletics

Boxscore (PDF)

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – For the second-straight home match, University of North Florida volleyball came back to win a five-set match, posting a key 3-2 Atlantic Sun victory (15-25, 25-19, 21-25, 25-23, 18-16) over Stetson Tuesday night at UNF Arena.

"It was a gutsy performance by our team," said head coach Steve Loeswick. "It wasn't pretty and we weren't in system as much as I would have liked, but there was no let up with this team tonight. They fought all the way through the match."

Kelly Koop powered the Ospreys with a career-high double-double, making 22 kills and 17 digs. Anna Budinska and Cameron McGuire each tallied 14 kills. Budinska also added 11 digs for her 15th double-double of the year. Abby Fesl and Britt Claessens put up 29 and 26 assists, respectively. Fesl added 11 digs for a double-double. Meanwhile, Cari Whitmire recorded 22 digs and Kayla Fessler added a career-high 18.

Tiffany Creamer had a 23-kill, 18-dig double-double and Kaley Melville notched a 13-kill, 20-dig double-double to pace the Hatters. Kayla Weller put up 50 assists and Michelle Kastner dug 25 balls.

Stetson used an early 8-1 run in the first set to build a seven-point lead on the Ospreys, going up 13-6 on a Melville block. UNF was able to come to within four on several occasions, including at 17-13 on a kill from Carina Hoff. However, the Hatters finished the set on an 8-2 run to take a 1-0 lead in the match.

A kill from Koop sparked an early five-point run for the Ospreys in the second set. UNF ultimately went up 10-4 on an ace from Koop during that run. Stetson eventually pulled to within to on an Osprey attack error to make it 17-15, but another kill from Koop sparked another five-point Osprey run. During the run, UNF got a kill from McGuire and then took advantage of three-consecutive attack errors by the Hatters to take a 22-15 lead. After battling over the set's remaining points, UNF got the set win on a Stetson service error and tied the match at 1-1.

Up by one, an 8-1 run allowed Stetson to gain an 18-10 lead in the third set. UNF responded with a three-point run to cut the deficit down to five. The Ospreys gradually chipped away Stetson's lead and came to within three on set point with a block by Budinska and Erin Edwards to make it 24-21. However, Melville's kill on the next point lifted Stetson to the third-set victory.

Both teams battled in a close fourth set that had 12 ties and seven lead changes. UNF went up 13-12 on a Claessens-McGuire block, but three quick points put the Hatters up 15-13. The Ospreys fought back to tie it at 17-17 on a kill from Koop. Stetson gained a one-point advantage on the next point after a UNF attack error, but a Koop kill sparked a critical three-point run that allowed the Ospreys to go up 20-18. UNF and Stetson traded points until a McGuire kill pushed the Ospreys to the win and forced a fifth set.

Trailing 8-4 at the midpoint of the fifth set, UNF rallied in the second half of the set. After coming to within one, a Koop kill started a critical run that saw UNF go up 14-13 on a Van Alstine-Koop block. Stetson quickly moved to match point after an Osprey attack error and a block from Erika White and Creamer made it 15-14. Another Koop kill tied the set before the Hatters used an Osprey service error to take a 16-15 lead. Facing match point, UNF came back with kills from Koop and Budinska to take the lead and then won the match a Van Alstine-Edwards block.

UNF returns to action on Friday night at UNF Arena against Kennesaw State at 7 p.m. It will be Senior Night as the Ospreys recognize Budinska and Claessens for their contributions to UNF volleyball over the last four years.