Box Score 

SAVANNAH, Ga. - It may have been the inaugural intercollegiate event hosted by Georgia Southern at their newly consolidated Armstrong Alumni arena in Savannah, Ga., but the night ended as the first win on the season for the Ospreys and first-year head coach Kristen Wright.

UNF (1-6) brought down the Eagles, 3-1, receiving double-digits in kills from three players in the win Tuesday, September 4.


Behind the Box Score

• The Ospreys chose an opportune time to take their first lead of the opening set, overcoming as much as a six-point deficit to take a 24-23 lead and hang on to win the set via three-straight attack errors.
   
• The second set was UNF's most dominant one of the season. The Navy and Blue held a .522 advantage in hitting percentage as the Eagles handcuffed themselves with 11 errors to only two for UNF.
   
• UNF put a Georgia Southern (1-6) third-set rally in the rear view mirror by coming out to an early lead in the fourth set. Gabby O'Connell led all players with 16 kills on the night and added six in the penultimate set as the Ospreys never relinquished their lead. The Eagles caught some steam towards the end, scoring four-straight points with their backs against a match point. Sophomore Devyn Wheeler provided a kill via one of Madilyn McCarty's 54 assists to close the door.

By the Numbers

• O'Connell | 16 kills, 10 digs
• Griffey | 15 kills
• Solimar Cestero | 10 kills
• McCarty | 54 assists
• Asante Lopez | 16 digs (one shy of career high)

Other Points of Interests

• The final score didn't lie. UNF led Georgia Southern in:
  • Kills (58-43)
  • Aces (6-3)
  • Blocks (9-7)
  • Assists (56-40)
  • Errors (22 to 30 for Georgia Southern\
• This is the second-straight match in which UNF has had three players with double-digits in kills. O'Connell has had back-to-back double-doubles.
• McCarty was just two assists shy of her career high.
• Griffey has posted double digits in all but one match this season.
• O'Connell's 16 kills was a season-high and is the most she has had since 2016 after missing last year due to injury.

Wright's Words
"I think it took us a while to get our feel and play our game, but once we took control of the match I think that our girls just took it and ran with it," head coach Kristen Wright said. "Our schedule, it really paid off. In a match like this you could really feel the ease for the girls and they just focused on our side. We played a whole game. Our defense and offense was the best it has been all year."

Up Next
After matches in three different states over the past two weeks, UNF returns home for the UNF Invitational Presented by Courtyard Marriott Mayo Clinic. The Ospreys open the weekend against New Mexico Friday, September 7 at 7 p.m. They return Saturday for a match against USC-Upstate at 1 p.m. and a 7 p.m. nightcap against Furman.

"So excited," Wright said. "We've been all over the place. It's always nice to play at home. We've got a great tournament with great competition. We had a great match with a great win under our belt."