Boxscore (PDF)
 
KENNESAW, Ga. – University of North Florida volleyball forced a fifth set for the second match in a row, but this time, the Ospreys rallied for a key Atlantic Sun 3-2 (25-14, 21-25, 22-25, 25-21, 15-9) victory against Kennesaw State on Saturday at the KSU Convocation Center.
 
"The girls stayed positive and fought the entire match," said head coach Steve Loeswick. "It was a great effort and helped secure a very important conference win."
 
 UNF came out with a strong first set, hitting a blistering .607 with 18 kills. A Kennesaw State error midway through the set triggered a five-point spurt that put the Ospreys up 13-7. The Owls stopped the run and strung together two points, but that was the only time UNF allowed Kennesaw State to get consecutive points for the remainder of the set. UNF had two more significant runs – a three-point spurt and a set-ending four-point run en route to winning the opening set.
 
With UNF up by one in the second set, Kennesaw State erased the Ospreys' lead and went on a four-point run to take a 16-13 lead. Kennesaw State eventually held a four-point advantage, but UNF trimmed the Owls' lead down to two. An Owl attack error made it 20-18, but Kennesaw State went on a four-point run to go up 24-18. UNF fended off set point three times before a service error provided the Owls with the point they needed.
 
Down by five, UNF fought back to make it a one-point, third-set. A kill from Cameron McGuire sparked a four-point Osprey run that allowed UNF to make it 15-14. However, Kennesaw State strung together consecutives points twice, including late in the set with back-to-back Ria Ridley kills that made it 23-20. The teams traded points until a Kristi Piedimonte kill sealed the set for the Owls.
 
UNF got out to a strong start in the fourth set and was up 13-8 on a Morgan Van Alstine kill. Kennesaw State battled back and took a 17-16 lead on an Osprey attack error. A kill from McGuire quickly tied the set at 17-all. With the teams going back and forth, Courtney Miller came up with a major block that sparked a critical four-point run that put the Ospreys up 24-20. Although the Owls kept the set going with on an Osprey attack miscue, a kill from Carina Hoff clinched the set and forced a decisive fifth set.
 
Consistent hitting and multiple Kennesaw State errors lifted UNF to the fifth-set victory. The Ospreys hit .385 for the set, making seven kills, while Kennesaw State committed eight errors and hit -.385. Up by one, a block from McGuire and Van Alstine began a three-point spurt that put the Ospreys up 7-3. After trading points, UNF extended its lead to five. A Hoff kill and an Owl attack error gave the Ospreys a 12-7 lead. UNF eventually capitalized on an Owl attack error in order to win the match.
 
Miller paced the Ospreys with 16 kills and a .308 hitting percentage, while Hoff added 13 kills. Tessa Alyman and McGuire tallied 11 and 10 kills, respectively. Abby Fesl put up 30 assists and Carinne Turner recorded 23 assists. Cari Whitmire made 27 digs.
 
UNF hit .253 for the match and made 59 kills and 69 digs.
 
Kelly Marcinek notched a team-best 10 kills. Piedimonte had 33 assists. Katarina Morton and Anaiah Boyer tallied 19 and 10 digs, respectively.
 
Kennesaw State hit .030 for the match, recording 46 kills and 58 digs.
 
UNF is back in action next weekend. The Ospreys begin a regular-season ending four-match homestand on Friday against conference leader Lipscomb. Match time is set for 7 p.m., from UNF Arena.