UNF-Arkansas-Pine Bluff Boxscore (PDF)
UNF-Valparaiso Boxscore (PDF)
 
ORLANDO, Fla. – University of North Florida volleyball finished play at the Holiday Inn Select/UCF Invitational with a win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff and a loss to Valparaiso on Saturday at UCF's The Venue. The Ospreys swept Arkansas-Pine Bluff 3-0 (25-19, 25-16, 25-14), but were also swept 3-0 by Valparaiso (25-15, 25-19, 25-13).
 
"We got to play four matches and all four were relatively competitive this weekend," said head coach Steve Loeswick. "It was exciting to see our team get out there and battle some good teams and figure out what we need to improve on. As the weekend went on, I thought our team learned a little more about the game and how to help our teammates be successful."
 
In the first set against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 17 of UNF's 25 points came from Osprey kills. Two 5-0 runs and a 4-0 spurt helped the Osprey offense. The first 5-0 run allowed UNF to erase an early five-point deficit as UAPB held got out to a 7-2 lead. A Cameron McGuire kill sparked the run as UNF tied the set on a Lady Lion attacking error. As the teams battled it out and with UAPB up by one, Kelly Koop's kill started the Ospreys' second 5-0 run and allowed UNF to take a 15-11 lead. UNF eventually went up by seven behind the 4-0 run and was up 19-12 after a kill from Erin Edwards. UAPB attempted to chip away at the Ospreys' lead, even using a four-point run to cut the deficit to four, but a kill from Koop and a McGuire-Anna Budinska block sealed the set for UNF
 
The Ospreys pulled away early in the second set when a 6-0 run allowed UNF to take a 10-6 lead. During the run, Cari Whitmire served up consecutive aces. UAPB came back to even the set at 14-all on an Ayanna Parker kill, but the Ospreys answered with another 6-0 run. That spurt featured another two aces, this time by Saelina Dunn, as UNF took a 20-14 advantage. The Ospreys went on to win five of the next seven points, capturing the set with back-to-back McGuire kills.
 
In the third set, UNF went on runs during five of its six service rotations. The Ospreys' largest stretch of points was seven-straight. Up by one, a McGuire kill sparked the run that allowed UNF to go up 18-10. The 7-0 run consisted of five kills, including McGuire's run-starter, a block from Edwards and Britt Claessens and a Lady Lion attacking error. After UAPB halted UNF's seven-point spurt with an Audrey Sherles kill, UNF answered with a six-point run to go up 24-12. Claessens was responsible for five of the Ospreys' six points, starting the run with a kill and serving up four aces – three of which were in-a-row. UAPB was able to stay alive after a service error and two UNF attacking errors, but a Dunn kill finished the match.
 
UNF made 36 kills and hit .193 for the match. Koop led the Ospreys with eight kills, seven of which came in the first set alone. In two sets, Abby Fesl put up 18 assists, while Claessens had nine assists in the third set. UNF got multiple aces from Claessens (4), Dunn (3) and Whitmire (2). Madison Hatcher and Fesl each served one ace. Whitmire also had a team-high seven digs.
 
UAPB recorded 16 kills and hit -0.50 for the match. Ashlie Jones and Parker each made a team-high four kills. Jordan Foyer tallied 14 assists and Courtney Brand dug a match-high nine balls.
 
In the day's second match, UNF jumped out to an early 3-0 lead on Valparaiso. However, the Crusaders' offense and blocking capabilities overpowered the Ospreys and Valparaiso used three significant runs to go up 16-5. UNF attempted to cut into the deficit, but were only able to pull to within seven on two occasions.
 
UNF and Valparaiso battled back and forth throughout the second set. The Ospreys held an 11-7 lead before the Crusaders came back to tie it at 11-all. As both teams battled for control, UNF only allowed Valparaiso to go up by as many as two before fighting back and tying the set at 19-19 on an Edwards-Hoff block. However, that was as close as UNF could get as Valparaiso finished the set on a six-point run.
 
The Ospreys had to contend with a hot-hitting Crusader team in the third set. Valparaiso hit .455 in the final set, making 11 kills and only committing one error. After trailing by five, three-straight UNF kills brought the Ospreys to within two as Valparaiso held an 11-9 lead. However, Valparaiso began to pull away as a result of its offense and taking advantage of multiple Osprey attacking errors, and the Crusaders ultimately used a 9-1 run to end the match.
 
UNF made 30 kills and hit .054. Abby Fesl had a 27-assist, 10-dig double-double, while Budinska tallied a match-high 11 kills. Whitmire recorded a team-high 11 digs. Hoff and Edwards tallied five and four blocks, respectively.
 
Valparaiso hit .337 for the match and had 41 kills. Morgan Beil had 10 kills. Kelsey Berrington and Ariel Cudney put up 16 and 13 assists, respectively. Sarah Dooms and Morganne Longoria tallied 16 and 14 digs, respectively. Ellen Vanden Berg came up with seven blocks, including two solo and five assist.
 
Budinska was also selected to the All-Tournament Team after tallying 40 kills, 28 digs and hitting .221.
 
"Anna had a great summer and came back in incredible shape," said Loeswick. "I was really proud of where she was when she came into the gym this preseason. The success she's having so far this season is a direct result of the work she put in over the summer."
 
UNF returns to action with its home-opening matches in the JU/UNF Invitational in UNF Arena. The Ospreys host Florida Atlantic on Friday, Sept. 6 at 7 p.m., and Mississippi Valley State on Saturday, Sept. 7 at 3 p.m. For ticket information, click here.