JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - In a highly anticipated rematch of the Spring 2021 ASUN Championship Semifinals, UNF volleyball (20-3, 9-2 ASUN) rose to the occasion with a 3-1 victory against defending conference champs Lipscomb (10-11, 7-4 ASUN) Sunday, October 24.
The win lifts UNF to the 20-win milestone for the first time since 2015 while giving the Ospreys their first victory against Lipscomb since 2012.
Also of note, head coach
Kristen Wright has now claimed at least one win against all 11 other members of the ASUN Conference. Graduate student
Gabby O'Connell appeared in her 126th match in the Navy and Gray, tying UNF greats Paige Pridgeon and Nicole Baran for the UNF DI-era record.
UNF 3, Lipscomb 1 (25-23, 23-25, 25-17, 25-18)
Inside the Sets
- Set 1: A 6-0 run opened a 9-3 lead for the Ospreys … the pace remained in favor of the hosts as UNF went up 16-8 … Lipscomb stormed back, tying the set at 23-23 … a Lipscomb service error led into a Dariana Hollingsworth-Santana kill as UNF came out on top in a 32-minute frame.
- Set 2: The two teams slugged it out again in set two, but this time Lipscomb got the better end of the stick in a set that took 34 minutes to transpire … 16 tie scores and six lead changes occurred in session two.
- Set 3: Hollingsworth-Santana had her serve working, the blocks came at the right time and Bre Walp even used her left hand to notch a kill as UNF hit .484 en route to a 2-1 advantage .
- Set 4: Lipscomb got ahead early, establishing a 6-2 lead before Rocio Moro pulled off another libero kill to ignite UNF … Gabby O'Connell put the Ospreys ahead 10-9 as Lipscomb could only tie the set from there on out … Hollingsworth-Santana dropped in consecutive aces to open a 17-13 lead, forcing a Lipscomb timeout … the Bisons could only get within three the rest of the way.
Leaders By the Numbers
Lipscomb
- Caroline Stogner | 13 kills
- Logan Gish | 12 kills, 11 digs, 2 digs
- Delaney Smith | 16 digs
- Delaney Dilfer | 40 assists
- Meg Mersman | 3 blocks
UNF
Wright's Words
"Lipscomb is a great program, is well coached and it feels great [to get the win]. This team worked so hard and they really deserved it. I don't think a lot of people understand what it takes to be in the position that they've put themselves in."
Notes
- Head coach Kristen Wright has defeated every ASUN opponent at least once in her tenure.
- The Ospreys are 11-1 at home this season.
- Hollingsworth-Santana tied a career high in aces.
- O'Connell is tied with Paige Pridgeon and Nicole Baran for career matches played with 126.
- O'Connell tallied her 41st career double-double.
- Hollingsworth-Santana notched the 24th double-double of her career.
- The Ospreys had three players in double figures for kills.
Up Next
The Ospreys begin a three-match road trip at FGCU Friday, Oct. 29 at 6 p.m.
