JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Arguably the toughest stretch of travel this season is set for this weekend as UNF goes to NJIT Friday before heading back down to Florida to face ASUN-leading FGCU Sunday in Fort Myers.
1. Last Time Out
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The North Florida volleyball team knocked the conference's leading team off the top of the standings with a resilient and efficient showing, downing Kennesaw State (15-7, 8-2), 3-1, Sunday, Oct. 27 from the UNF Arena.
UNF (11-14, 4-6 ASUN) ushered the Owls into 22 errors, while the Ospreys hit .307 and committed 12 fewer attack miscues. It was North Florida's first win against the Owls since a 3-0 sweep Nov. 13, 2015.
2. Series History
UNF leads the all-time series, 8-1 ... The Ospreys downed NJIT in straight sets Oct. 5 ... UNF has won four of the last five against the Highlanders ... NJIT's lone win against the Ospreys was a 3-1 defeat of UNF September 29, 2017 ... The two teams first met in 2015 ... UNF is 3-1 in Newark, N.J. … The Eagles lead the all-time series, 23-6 … North Florida has yet to top the Eagles in Fort Myers … North Florida last took down FGCU October 27, 2017.
3. Eye-Popping Numbers
Freshman
Julianna Askew had another 40-plus assist showing Sunday, notching 43 to give her 988 for the season ... Askew is third in the nation in assists, behind Vera Giacomazzi of Ohio and the nation's leader, Rachel Koop, of Northern Iowa ... Koop paces the country with 1,043 helpers ... Askew needs 12 more assists to become the first UNF freshman with 1,000 assists since Casey Giovanazzi did so in 2011 ... Classmate
Rocio Moro is 10th in the nation in digs with 471 and first in the ASUN ... Askew also breaks into the top 10 in the nation in aces with 44, only five behind the conference leader, Lauren Chastang, who has 49 ... Out of 332 teams UNF ranks ninth in kills.
4. Mashing Milestones
Rocio Moro tied the UNF Division I record for digs in a five-set match for the second time this season, posting 35 against Stetson Friday, Oct. 25 ... Senior middle blocker
Taryn Griffey needs just one more block to become UNF's all-time leader in solo blocks ... The Wildwood, Mo., native has 13 this season and 48 for her career, tied with Morgan Van Alstine.
5. Scouting Report
NJIT comes into play 1-25 and 0-10 in conference ... The Highlanders' lone win this season was a 3-2 defeat of FDU ... Madi Busler leads NJIT with kills ... Four players have tallied over 100 ... Liz Benson is leading NJIT in assists and ranks eighth in the conference ... Head coach Pedro Trevino is in his first season at the helm in Newark ... Trevino comes from Rutgers-Newark of the New Jersey Athletic Conference where he was the Director of Volleyball Operations for the Scarlet Raiders for eight seasons ... Trevino was a four-year setter for the Highlanders volleyball squad from 1997-2001 … FGCU sits alone at the top of the conference, standing 21-3 overall and 9-1 in league play ...The Eagles have won 16 consecutive sets … The Eagles' lone conference loss came to Liberty … Cortney VanLiew leads the league with 326 kills, and sophomore libero Dana Axner paces the ASUN with 5.13 digs/set.
