#SandVB Opens ASun With a Split

Friday, March 27

Macon, Ga.

10:00 a.m.

University of North Florida

Mercer

3/27/2015 9:06:00 PM | Beach Volleyball

By: North Florida Athletics

UNF-Mercer boxscore (pdf)
UNF-FGCU boxscore (pdf)

MACON, Ga. -- The North Florida sand volleyball team opened up Atlantic Sun Conference action Friday by splitting a pair of competitive dual matches against Mercer and Florida Gulf Coast at MU's Sand Courts.

The Ospreys (6-6, 1-1 ASun) started the day with a tough 3-2 loss to the Bears including dropping a pair of three-set decisions. UNF's wins came from No. 3 pair Ambre Desaulnay and Jess Kinlaw and No. 5 Ebony Gunn and Emily Davanzo with straight set victories. Top tandem Cameron McGuire and Cari Whitmire fell 2-0 (21-19, 21-17) to the Bear's top pair Tori Penrod/Emma Peel.

At No. 2, UNF's duo of Tessa Aylman/Tanner Garbutt, playing their first competitive match together, battled MU's tandem of Zoe Becton/Emily Rochefort to the end. The Ospreys won set one 21-19 before falling 21-16 and 15-12 in the deciding set. Julie Trembley and Kimberly Ferguson also paired together for the first time for UNF at No. 4 and fought Mercer's Erin Brett/Emily Krogman for three sets. After taking the opening set 21-17, UNF's duo struggled in the next two frames losing 21-8 and 15-5.

Against FGCU, the Ospreys outlasted the Eagles for the 3-2 victory after posting wins at their top three spots. UNF earned straight sets victories from McGuire/Whitmire, Alyman/Garbutt and Desaulnay/Kinlaw and nearly picked up a fourth as Trembley/Ferguson fell in a three-set match 14-21, 21-17, 11-15.

North Florida wraps up its opening weekend of play in the Atlantic Sun on Saturday with rematches against both FGCU (10 a.m.) and Mercer (Noon).