Boxscore (PDF)
 
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – With a dominating fourth set, University of North Florida volleyball captured its first Atlantic Sun win on Friday night, defeating Kennesaw State 3-1 (25-23, 23-25, 25-20, 25-11) Friday night at UNF Arena in the Ospreys' first home conference match of the season.
 
"We've been working a lot on trying to have a consistent mentality from the start of the set to the end of the set," said head coach Steve Loeswick. "We did a nice job with that tonight, especially with the fourth set."
 
UNF and Kennesaw State battled it out in a close first set that included 12 ties and six lead changes. Both teams used multiple runs to keep the set close. The Ospreys fought back from a five-point deficit midway through the set to eventually take a 20-17 lead on a Courtney Miller kill. Kennesaw State answered with a three-point run to tie the set at 20-20 on a kill from Kristi Piedimonte. Down by one, a key three-point run allowed UNF to take a critical 24-22 lead. Although Kennesaw State fended off set point with a Kelly Marcinek kill, the Ospreys ended the set with a kill from Cameron McGuire and went up 1-0 in the match.
 
In the second set, UNF fought back from an early eight-point deficit. The Ospreys from themselves trailing 12-4 on a Marcinek kill. However, the Ospreys clawed back and made it a one-point set, taking advantage of an Owl attack error to make it 19-18 in favor of Kennesaw State. The Owls built up several three-point cushions, but UNF trimmed the deficit down to one on several occasions, including at 24-23. However, Kennesaw State won the set and tied the match at 1-1 on an Anaiah Boyer kill.
 
A timely five-point run midway through the third set separated UNF from Kennesaw State. Trailing by one, Madison Hatcher had three-consecutive kills to start the run that resulted in a 16-12 Osprey advantage. Kennesaw State erased UNF's lead and tied the set at 18-18 with a Marcinek kill. UNF used a 5-1 run to gain a 23-19 advantage and ultimately took the set on a Morgan Van Alstine kill.
 
UNF lead from start to finish in the fourth set, hitting .310 for the set and capitalizing on the Owls' errors.  The Ospreys gained a 10-point lead on a Van Alstine kill that made it a 17-7 set. UNF continued to pull away and went up by 13 with a lead three-point run. Van Alstine eventually served an ace for the match-wining point.
 
Cari Whitmire anchored the Ospreys' defense with a season-high 30 digs. So far, Whitmire's recorded at least 25 digs in four of the Ospreys' six conference matches.
 
"Cari did a great job and kept a lot balls off the floor," said Loeswick. "She gave us a lot of opportunities for transition swings."
 
Miller had an 11-kill, 21-dig double-double, while Cameron McGuire tallied a season-high 15 kills. Abby Fesl notched a 27-assist, 10-dig double-double. Van Alstine made seven blocks.
 
UNF hit .209 for the match, tallying 56 kills, 87 digs and 10.0 team blocks.
 
Boyer paced Kennesaw State with a 15-kill, 13-dig double-double, while Marcinek added a 12-kill, 11-dig double-double. Piedimonte put up 36 assists, while Katarina Morton had 22 digs.
 
UNF returns to action on Saturday against USC Upstate at 3 p.m., at UNF Arena.