Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

University of North Florida Athletics

UNF's senior players, coaches, and parents gather before a match.
0
NJIT NJIT 4-28, 2-14 ASUN
3
Winner North Florida UNF 11-21, 6-10 ASUN
NJIT NJIT
4-28, 2-14 ASUN
0
Final
3
North Florida UNF
11-21, 6-10 ASUN
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 F
NJIT NJIT 11 15 23 (0)
North Florida UNF 25 25 25 (3)

Game Recap: Volleyball |

Wheeler Ignites Ospreys’ Senior Night Sweep of NJIT

The Sophomore Registers Third-Highest Hitting Percentage in School History for Three-Set Match


JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - You couldn't have drawn up a much better Senior Night. Sophomore Devyn Wheeler hit .813 and UNF had an errorless-second set as the Ospreys routed NJIT in straight sets Saturday, Nov. 10.

"We have her [Devyn Wheeler] really focused technically right now and she came out and hit her first ball exactly like we've been working on. We've been setting her really quickly and our offense is looking how we've wanted it to look, it's hard to block."

The Ospreys (11-21, 6-10 ASUN) honored their three seniors, Asante Lopez, Madilyn McCarty and Alana Shoff prior to North Florida's fourth-straight victory against the Highlanders (4-28, 2-14 ASUN) in Jacksonville.

UNF 3, NJIT 0 | 25-11, 25-15, 25-23 | Box Score

Behind the Box Score
  • UNF set the tone right away, and so did Wheeler, racing to a 6-1 advantage behind an ace and a kill from the second-year player.
  • The Ospreys hit .387 and Wheeler and Cestero tallied four kills apiece to cruise to first-set victory.
  • The best offensive set of the season came next. UNF ht .587 and went without an error, posting 16 kills. Wheeler hit 1.000, as did McCarty.
  • The first UNF attack error in over a set made it 5-3 UNF, the closest NJIT would get before tying things up at 23 with a late run.
  • Cestero broke the tie and classmate Kirby Smith delivered the final blow, an emphatic kill to close out the third set.

Leaders By the Numbers
  • Wheeler | 13 kills, .813 hitting percentage
  • McCarty | 32 assists
  • Emma Dixon | Seven blocks (career high)
  • Lopez | 13 digs
  • Gabby O'Connell | Three aces

Notes
  • UNF's .385 hitting percentage marks a season high
  • Six errors set a season low for the Osprey attack
  • The Ospreys held NJIT to 27 kills, tying a season-low for a UNF opponent this season. NJIT was held to 27 kills in the last meeting between the two teams October 12.
  • The Highlanders only had two blocks, the lowest total for any opponent in 2018.
  • The only hitting percentages higher than Wheeler's in Osprey history came prior to the move to Division I. Kari Weber hit .909 at Lander in 1999, while Stephanie Feulner notched a .846 hitting percentage.

Wright's Words
"Honestly I think it's the best match we've played all year, and that's what we want. We want to be playing our best going into the tournament."

"They [Asante, Lopez, Madilyn McCarty and Alana Shoff] are really special. I don't think that I'll ever forget them. They are laying the foundation for where we want to go and they are going to be a part of wherever we want to be in the future. Transition years can be tricky and they can be hard, but they've made it really easy. They've been really pleasant leaders and have been fun to coach and they've grown a lot."

Up Next
Six-seeded North Florida squares off with three-seeded Lipscomb in the first round of the 2018 ASUN Volleyball Championship Thursday, Nov. 15, at 7:30 p.m. All matches of the tournament will be played at Kennesaw State University.
 
Print Friendly Version