JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - North Florida volleyball finishes up its regular-season tournament slate when it heads to Starkville for the Hail State Invitational Thursday, Sept. 19 and Friday, Sept. 20.
The Ospreys are set to face UAB, Mississippi State and Jackson State. All times below are eastern.
| Hail State Invitational |
Match 1:
UAB |
Thursday, Sept. 19 - 11 a.m. | Starkville, Miss. |
Match 2:
Mississippi State |
Thursday, Sept. 19 - 8 p.m. | Starkville, Miss. | Live Stats |
Match 3:
Jackson State |
Friday, Sept. 20 - 12 p.m. | Starkville, Miss. |
| Series History |
UAB: First Meeting
Mississippi State: First Meeting
Jackson State: First Meeting |
| Social Media |
@OspreyVB | #SWOOPLife | Facebook | @UNFOspreys |
1. Last Time Out
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The North Florida volleyball team was lifted by career highs in kills from
Taryn Griffey and
Emma Dixon as the Ospreys (5-6) outlasted Georgia Southern (4-4), 3-2, in an arduous match from UNF Arena Tuesday, September 17.
Griffey collected 19 kills, one more than her career best, and Dixon posted 11 to go along with a game-high six blocks. Redshirt-junior
Gabby O'Connell chipped in with her fourth double-double of the season, collecting 13 kills and 12 digs.
2. Series History
It will be UNF's first-ever meeting against all three of its opponents this weekend … The Ospreys have never played UAB, Mississippi State and Jackson State … The last C-USA opponent UNF faced was FIU Saturday, Sept. 14 … UNF last faced an SEC opponent in Tennessee Sept. 1, 2018 … The Ospreys last faced a SWAC opponent in Alabama State Sept. 15, 2017.
3. ASUN Honors
The Ospreys nearly swept the ASUN weekly honors for Monday, Sept. 16 … Freshman
Julianna Askew earned her first ASUN weekly award after earning ASUN Freshman of the Week recognition following her 188-assist week … Redshirt-junior
Gabby O'Connell picked up her sixth ASUN weekly honor and first ASUN Player of the Week laurel on the heels of matches with 25 and 29 kills … O'Connell leads the league in kills with 166 and Askew is second in the ASUN in assists with 429.
4. Mashing Middles
UNF's outside hitters between
Solimar Cestero,
Gabby O'Connell and
Miriam Stingl have been on fire this season, but Tuesday night's win against Georgia Southern was about the Ospreys' middle blockers … Senior
Taryn Griffey posted a career-high 19 kills on .417 hitting, collecting four block assists … Junior
Emma Dixon tallied a career-high 11 kills and provided six more blocks.
5. Scouting Report
The Blazers are 6-4 and riding a three-match winning streak into action Thursday … UAB had defeated ETSU, Georgia State and Alcorn State during the streak, last falling to Alabama, 3-0 … UAB was tripped up by USF, 3-1, and has topped the ASUN's North Alabama, 3-1 … Redshirt-sophomore Anna D'Cruz was selected as the Conference USA Co-Defensive Player of the Week last week … Mississippi State is 8-1, last falling to Stetson, 3-2, Sept. 13 … The Bulldogs are coached by former Jacksonville head coach, Julie Darty … MSU is paced offensively by Gabby Waden's 113 kills … The Bulldogs are big on the block, out-blocking foes, 87-48 … Jackson State is 3-9 this season and on a nine-match losing streak … The Lady Tigers are hitting .121 this year, while opponents are hitting .197.
