Ospreys Post Sweep in ASun Sand Volleyball

Friday, March 29

Macon, Ga.

10 am

University of North Florida

Mercer (Match 1)

3/29/2013 9:37:00 PM | Beach Volleyball

MACON, Ga. -- The North Florida Sand Volleyball team opened Atlantic Sun Conference play Friday with a pair of victories over Mercer (3-2) and Florida Gulf Coast (5-0).

The Ospreys, the defending A-Sun Champions, improved to 6-1 (2-0 ASun) in dual matches this season.

In the day's opening match with the Bears, UNF earned wins from its No. 1, 3 and 5 pairs to secure the victory. Top Osprey tandem, Dagnija Medina and Anna Budinska, outlasted Mercer's duo of Katona/Duffy for the 2-1 (22-24, 21-17, 15-9) while Emily Strack and Anna Wagner recorded a straight set 2-0 (21-11, 21-8) victory at No. 3 over Petsos/Locke. The win marked the pairs fourth consecutive victory.

At No. 5, Julie Trembley and Britt Claessens continued their solid play remaining undefeated with a 2-0 (21-6, 21-9) sweep. The duo has yet to lose a set for UNF.

Against FGCU, the Ospreys posted straight set wins at all five positions. Medina/Budinska topped Holm/Masters 21-17, 21-15 at No. 1 with Carolyn Jenkins and Cari Whitmire edging Kohler/Muse 23-21, 21-17 at No. 2. Strack/Wagner claimed their fifth straight win defeating Mesner/Childs 21-18, 21-11 at No. 3. Claessens/Trembley played No. 4 and earned a 21-11, 21-15 win over the Eagles' Strautniece/Pinder pair while Cameron McGuire and Paige Pridgeon completed the sweep with a 21-16, 21-9 win versus Hopper/Feathers.

North Florida concludes its conference opening weekend of play Saturday with second matches against FGCU (10 a.m.) and Mercer (4 p.m.) at the Mercer Sand Courts.

Match Results:
North Florida 3, Mercer 2
No. 1 - Dagnija Medina/Anna Budinska (UNF) def. Jennifer Katona/Jamie Duffy (MER) -- 2-1 (22-24/ 21-17/ 15-9)
No. 2 - Emily Rochefort/Caroline Carlton (MER) def. Carolyn Jenkins/Cari Whitmire (UNF) -- 2-1 (12-21/ 21-17/ 15-7)
No. 3 - Emily Strack/Anna Wagner (UNF) def. Madison Petsos/Molly Locke (MER) -- 2-0 (21-11/ 21-8)
No. 4 - Codi Schepp/Zoe Becton (MER) def. Cameron McGuire/Paige Pridgeon (UNF) -- 2-0 (21-17/ 21-19)
No. 5 - Britt Claessens/Julie Trembley (UNF) def. Lizzie Knapper/Emily Brett (MER) -- 2-0 (21-6/ 21-9)

North Florida 5, Florida Gulf Coast 0
No. 1 - Dagnija Medina/Anna Budinska (UNF) def. Kaitlyn Holm/Whitney Masters (FGCU) -- 2-0 (21-17/ 21-15)
No. 2 - Carolyn Jenkins/Cari Whitmire (UNF) def. Brooke Kohler/Brittany Muse (FGCU) -- 2-0 (23-21/ 21-17)
No. 3 - Emily Strack/Anna Wagner (UNF) def. Olivia Mesner/Lindsey Childs (FGCU) -- 2-0 (21-18/ 21-11)
No. 4 - Britt Claessens/Julie Trembley (UNF) def. Liga Strautniece/Christine Pinder (FGCU) -- 2-0 (21-11/ 21-15)
No. 5 - Cameron McGuire/Paige Pridgeon (UNF) def. Jill Hopper/Natalie Feathers (FGCU) -- 2-0 (21-16/ 21-9)