#VB Travels to Georgia for Benson's Group Invitational

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Roadtrippin' with the Ospreys

ATHENS, Ga. – University of North Florida volleyball plays its final early season tournament this weekend when the Osprey's take their first out-of-state trip to the University of Georgia for the Benson's Group Invitational. UNF faces host Georgia on Friday night at 7 p.m., and then UNC Greensboro (10 a.m.) and Louisiana (4 p.m.)

"This is a great way to end our early season tournament schedule," said head coach Steve Loeswick. "Georgia, UNC Greensboro and Louisiana are all highly competitive teams. We've learned a lot from Tuesday night's match and I know we will play the best volleyball we can play this weekend. This tournament will certainly prepare us for our challenging Atlantic Sun schedule that starts next week."

UNF's trip to the Benson's Group Invitational falls during a six-match road swing. The Ospreys started their venture on Tuesday night with a 3-2 loss at Florida A&M. Senior Anna Budinska posted her third double-double of the season with an 18-kill, 16-dig performance. Meanwhile, blocking has been powerful and was on display on Tuesday night. The Ospreys tallied a season-best 12.0 total blocks at Florida A&M. Freshman Morgan Van Alstine came close to her first double-digit block match as she led the Ospreys with nine blocks at Florida A&M, while freshman Carina Hoff added seven. On the season, four Ospreys, have double-digit blocks. Hoff leads the way with 26 total blocks (1.13 per set) while Cameron McGuire (19, 0.79 per set), Van Alstine (17, 1.31 per set) and Erin Edwards (13, 0.72 per set).

On Monday, the first round of NCAA season statistics came out and UNF has a top-10 ranking amongst all ranked-eligible teams (institutions that are reclassifying for Division I are not eligible for ranking). With matches played through Sept. 8, UNF is No. 9 in aces with a 2.1 ace per set average. Individually, Budinska and Abby Fesl were among the top 150 student-athletes in their categories. Budinska was No. 14 in kills per set (4.60) and 24th in points per set (4.87). Fesl came in at No. 150 in assists per set (9.19).

Georgia hosts its second home tournament of the season, but this weekend's Invitational takes place on a different court from where the Bulldogs traditionally play. While Georgia typically plays at Ramsey Gymnasium, the Benson's Group Invitational will be at Stegeman Coliseum, which is home to men's and women's basketball and gymnastics. The Bulldogs enter the weekend with a 5-1 record with all six matches played thus far being decided in three sets. Georgia's most recent 3-0 match was on Tuesday at Georgia Southern. The lone loss, however, was last Saturday to No. 13 Nebraska. Georgia is 1-0 against Atlantic Sun teams in 2013, defeating Lipscomb in its season-opener. A trio of Bulldogs have over 40 kills on the season. Lauren Teknipp and Brittany Northcutt lead the way with 54 and 53, respectively, while Stacey Smith has 43 kills.

Friday night's match will be the second meeting between the Ospreys and Bulldogs. Georgia won the only previous match between the two teams, taking a 3-0 match on Aug. 25, 2007 at the Georgia Southern Invitational.

Out of the four teams in this weekend's Invitational, UNC Greensboro is the only team that did not have a mid-week match leading into the Benson's Group Invitational. The Spartans travel outside the Greensboro - High Point - Winston-Salem the Triad area for the first time this season. UNC Greensboro brings a 4-2 record into the weekend and has posted 3-0 sweeps in its last two matches. Already this season, the Spartans are 1-0 against Atlantic Sun teams after having a season-opening 3-2 victory over defending A-Sun Champion ETSU. Olivia Humphries leads the team with 76 kills and averages 3.45 per set. Katherine Santiago has 91 digs on the season, averaging 4.14 per set.

Saturday morning's match is the first meeting between the two teams.

Louisiana improved to 6-2 on the year after beating Jackson State 3-0 on Tuesday night. Last weekend, the Ragin' Cajuns were 2-1 at its own Sawyer Camillo Memorial Volleyball Classic, defeating Nicholls State and Alcorn State before falling in four to Houston. Lavinia Tataran and Sara Mossakowski account for nearly 45 percent of the team's total kills. Tartaran has made a team-best 75 kills, while Mossakowski is right behind at 71. The duo are averaging at least 3.00 kills per set. Andrea Hole and Jessica Bartczyszyn have each seen time as the team's setter. Hole has 157 assists, while Bartczyszyn has 111.

UNF and Louisiana have only met once and that was back in 1992 when Louisiana was known as Southwestern Louisiana. UNF won that match 3-0 on Oct. 23.

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#VB Travels to Georgia for Benson's Group Invitational

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