Boxscore (PDF)
 
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – University of North Florida volleyball extended its winning streak to eight matches on Friday night with a 3-2 (25-23, 20-25, 25-13, 21-25, 15-12) Atlantic Sun opening win over cross-town rival Jacksonville during a River City Rumble match at UNF Arena.
 
"Jacksonville has a very good team," said head coach Steve Loeswick. "We matched up pretty evenly tonight. With the amazing energy this crowd had tonight, they really helped us push through, especially in that fifth set, which turned the momentum and put the pressure on Jacksonville."
 
The Ospreys' eight-consecutive wins matches its longest Division I winning streak, which took place Oct. 26-Nov. 16, 2012 in Loeswick's first season.
 
A trio of Ospreys – Courtney Miller (17 kills, 18 digs), Abby Fesl (24 assists, 11 digs) and Carinne Turner (27 assists, 14 digs) – had a double-double. Tessa Alyman and Carina Hoff each tallied 14 kills, while Kimberly Ferguson made 20 digs.
 
UNF hit .169 for the night, tallying 62 kills, 98 digs and 10.5 team blocks.
 
Emily Laskelle paced the Dolphins with a 24-kill, 13-dig double-double. Jizzyan Gesualdo added a 42-assist, 16-dig double-double, while Mayara Prestes recorded 27 digs.
 
Jacksonville hit .131 with 54 kills, 87 digs and 11.0 team blocks.
 
UNF withstood several late Dolphin runs in order to take the first set.  The Ospreys had a four-point, 16-12 lead after a Miller kill.  However, Jacksonville fought back and ultimately took a 19-18 lead on a Gesualdo kill. The Ospreys trailed by two points twice, including at 22-20 after an attacking error. Coming out of a timeout, UNF went on a critical four-point run and went up 24-22 on a Hoff kill. Although Jacksonville kept the set going with an Osprey attack error, an Alyman kill gave the Ospreys the set-winning point.
 
The second set was a close battle with nine tied scores and four lead changes. However, a late Dolphin run was costly. With UNF trailing 19-18, a kill from Kelly Koop sparked a four-point run that put Jacksonville up 23-18. UNF stopped the run with two points of its own, but kills from Olga Nushtayeva and Laskelle end the set and tied the match at 1-1.
 
UNF dominated the third set, hitting .357 and forcing Jacksonville into making nine errors. Up by one, an Erin Edwards kill started a seven-point spurt that put UNF up 16-8. UNF pushed its lead to 10 points after a block from Miller, Hoff and Morgan Van Alstine gave the Ospreys a 20-10 advantage. The Ospreys ultimately ended the set with a Van Alstine service ace.
 
A late five-point run allowed the Dolphins to gain a 20-15 lead in the fourth set. However, UNF fought back and eventually tied the set at 21-21 on a block by Hoff and Edwards. Jacksonville responded with a set-ending four-point run that tied the match at 2-2 and forced a decisive fifth set.
 
Jacksonville jumped out to an early 6-2 lead, but UNF chipped away at the deficit. With Jacksonville up 9-6, a kill from Alyman started a timely seven-point run that gave the Ospreys a 13-9 lead. UNF got the match point after a Dolphin attacking error made it 14-11. Jacksonville fended off match point twice before a Miller kill ended the match.
UNF returns to action on Tuesday at Bethune-Cookman, which starts a four-match road swing. Match time at Bethune-Cookman is set for 7 p.m., at Moore Gymnasium.