Newcomers Shine, But Late Sycamore Surge Stifles Ospreys

Friday, August 31

Knoxville, Tenn.

4:00 p.m.

University of North Florida

0-4

Indiana State

3-1

North Florida

Indiana State

O'Connell surpassed 400 career kills Friday.

Photo by: Todd Drexler

8/31/2018 8:45:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

Dixon Hits .500, Donnelly Posts Game-High 20 Digs

Box Score (PDF)

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Trailing just 18-17 late in the third set, UNF was merely points away from garnering a 2-1 edge, although the Indiana State Sycamores (3-1) mustered some late-match strength as the Ospreys (0-4) fell 3-1 in the Rocky Top Invitational opener Friday, August. 31.

On cue with UNF's process last weekend, 12 different players saw action Friday as Kristen Wright and the Ospreys continue to carve out their lineup in the early going.

"Trusting the process is easier said than done," head coach Kristen Wright said. "We need to clean up a few areas of our game."

Indiana State 3, UNF 1 (23-25, 25-23, 25-19, 25-13)
While not as much of a teeter-totter battle as UNF's match against Oral Roberts that saw 47 ties, Friday's match featured 28 tie scores and thirteen lead changes. Prior to the fourth set, no team held more than a six-point lead.

Behind the Box Score

Set one was headlined by runs on both sides. The Sycamores hit a scorching .571 to go up 16-10, although UNF rebounded with a 6-1 run to get within one.
Junior Taryn Griffey provided a kill to cut Indiana State's lead to 24-23, but the Sycamores staved off a late rally to take the first set.
Redshirt-sophomore Gabby O'Connell is continuing her comeback from a season-ending injury last season and was strong in her opportunities on the attack, hitting .800 in the first set, posting four kills. Sophomore transfer Emma Dixon shone, generating four kills with the help of 12 assists from senior Madilyn McCarty in the opening frame.
Set two mirrored the opening frame, but back-to-back aces from freshman Solimar Cestero and Griffey titled the scales and closed out the second set, 25-23, in favor of UNF.
The Ospreys got hot halfway through the third, cutting a six-point deficit to one at 19-18, although four consecutive kills, an attack error and a service error provided Indiana State an edge in the third set.
The fourth set was the largest margin of defeat in any set since the season opener. The Sycamores were simply clicking in the final set, hitting .455 to a respectable .259 by the part of UNF.

Leaders by the Numbers

Griffey | 14 kills (tied for a game-high), .344 hitting percentage
Dixon | 11 kills, .500 hitting percentage, one block assist
O'Connell | seven kills, seven digs
McCarty | Season-high 40 assists, six digs, five block assists
Madison Donnelly | 20 digs (game-high), four assists
Four Sycamores had 14 kills, while Makayla Knoblauch had a game-high 48 assists.

Other Points of Interest

O'Connell eclipsed the 400-career kills mark
McCarty's 40 assists put her at 1,350 all-time in the navy and gray. That total is good for eighth in UNF history. If you take into account her 1,229 assist total as a freshman at Winthrop, McCarty would have 2,579 for her career, good for fifth all-time.
Newcomers Donnelly and Dixon both fared well. Newcomers have seen a lot of time in the early going as UNF has played more than 10 different players in all four matches thus far in 2018.
UNF's opponents are a combined 9-4 thus far this season.
This is in the only time that UNF and Indiana State have faced off, and it's the only time that UNF squares off against a Missouri Valley Conference foe this year.

Wright's Words
"We are being pretty conservative with [Gabby] O'Connell's return, but she'll be an important piece," Wright said. "Our freshman are getting incredible experience. I was proud of [Emma] Dixon's performance."

Up Next
UNF's stay in Knoxville continues with a 12:30 p.m. match against host Tennessee and a 5 p.m. first serve with Winthrop tomorrow, September 1. Live stats will be available and live video will be offered for the match against the Lady Vols.