Budinska with Career Night, but #VB Drops Five-Set Thriller to FAU in Home Opener

Friday, September 6

Jacksonville, Fla.

7 p.m.

University of North Florida

Florida Atlantic

Budinska with Career Night, but #VB Drops Five-Set Thriller to FAU in Home Opener

9/6/2013 10:49:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

By: North Florida Athletics

Boxscore (PDF)
Post-Match Interview with Coach Loeswick
UNF Volleyball Ticket Information

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Despite a program Division I record 29 kills in five sets from senior Anna Budinska, University of North Florida volleyball fell in its home-opener to Florida Atlantic 3-2 (25-21, 22-25, 22-25, 25-20, 15-12) Friday night at UNF Arena in front of a loud and energetic crowd.

"It was a tough match," said head coach Steve Loeswick. "FAU has some talented players. I'm never happy with a loss, but I can tell our team got better tonight and that's something to be excited about. The fans were amazing. Whoever came out and made all that noise, I hope they keep coming."

Budinska's 29 kills is the second-most in UNF history for five sets. Becky DeJong tallied a record 36 kills in 1996 during UNF's Division II years and prior to the rally scoring-era in volleyball. Meanwhile, the previous UNF Division I record for kills in five sets was 28, set by Kaley Read against Florida Atlantic on Aug. 28, 2009.

Budinska added 12 digs to her 29 kills for her second double-double of the season. Kelly Koop and Abby Fesl also registered double-doubles. Koop had a 10-kill, 16-dig performance for her first collegiate double-double. Fesl tallied 48 assists and 18 digs for her second-straight match with a double-double.

Cari Whitmire tallied a career-high 31 digs for the Ospreys, while Cameron McGuire added six blocks. UNF hit .173 for the match and had 63 kills.

Alessia Pizzoccheri led the Owls with a 23-kill, 19-dig double-double, while Jelena Jovanovic added a 53-assist, 25-dig double-double. Florida Atlantic hit .193 and also notched 63 kills.

In the first set, UNF battled back after being down by five midway. After a Pizzoccheri kill put FAU up 14-9, the Ospreys chipped away at the Owls' lead. A kill from Carina Hoff pulled UNF to within one as FAU held a 20-19 advantage. However, another kill from Pizzoccheri started a timely three-point run that allowed the Owls to pull away en route to taking the first set.

A late seven-point run was key for the Ospreys in the second set. With the set tied 17-17, an Owl serving error started UNF's run that put the Ospreys up 24-17. The run featured three kills from Budinska, a kill from McGuire and a block by McGuire and Fesl. Facing set-point, FAU took advantage of several UNF miscues and made it 24-22 in favor of UNF on a Pizzoccheri kill. However, Budinska answered with a set-ending kill as UNF captured the second set and tied the match up at 1-1.

UNF pulled away from Florida Atlantic early in the third set held a seven-point, 15-8 advantage after a Koop-McGuire block. Florida Atlantic used several runs in an attempt to cut into UNF's lead and fended off set-point three times. However, with UNF up 24-22, Budinska slammed down another set-winning kill as UNF went up 2-1 in the match.

The Ospreys had to contend with a consistent-hitting Florida Atlantic team that hit .323 with 14 kills off 31 attack and only four errors. Down by six early, the Ospreys rallied to tie it at 14-14 on a block by Morgan Van Alstine and Hoff. However, Florida Atlantic scored two consecutive points on four of its next five serving rotations in order to add a little distance between them and the Ospreys. Up 24-20, Florida Atlantic used an Osprey attack error to win the set and force a deciding fifth set.

Florida Atlantic jumped out to a quick 5-1 lead in the final set. UNF attempted to chip away at the Owls' lead and came to within on behind back-to-back Koop kills that made it 9-8. After the teams flip-flopped points, the Owls took advantage of two UNF miscues in order to take a 12-9 lead. Although UNF was able to pull to within one on two occasions, it was not enough as Florida Atlantic won the match on a Kristi Tekavec kill.

UNF returns to action on Saturday at UNF Arena with a 3 p.m. match against Mississippi Valley State.