JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - North Florida volleyball plays its final non-conference match and road match of the regular season with it heads to (RV) Florida State Tuesday, Nov. 9 at 5 p.m. in just the second meeting between these two teams in program history. 
 

UNF at FSU | at FSU (Tallahassee, Fla. | Tully Gymnasium)
Match 27: at FSU	Tuesday, Nov. 9 at 5 p.m.
Series History	FSU leads, 1-0
Social Media / Coverage	@OspreyVB | #SWOOPLife | @UNFOspreys

Series History
This is just the second meeting between UNF and Florida State in program history ... the Ospreys and Seminoles met Sept. 5, 2008, a 3-0 win for Florida State ... this is the fourth ACC opponent on UNF's ledger in the last three seasons ... the Ospreys have played Wake Forest, Clemson, Virginia Tech and now Florida State, all since 2019 ... this is the first time in the last three years that UNF hasn't hosted in a matchup with an ACC school ... UNF and FSU's lone meeting was in Tallahassee.

Scouting Report
FSU: Florida State is receiving votes in the latest AVCA Coaches Poll and is No. 17 in the NCAA Division I RPI for games through November 7 ... the Seminoles are 17-6 and 10-4 ... FSU had a five-match winning streak snapped at No. 14 Georgia Tech Sunday, Nov. 7 ... FSU defeated FGCU, 3-0, Sept. 11 in its only other game against an ASUN team this year ... FSU is coached by Chris Poole in his 14th season with the Seminoles ... he is 873-331 in his collegiate coaching career between stints at Arkansas State, Arkansas, Arkansas Tech and FSU ... FSU leads the ACC in digs/set and attack attempts/set ... Florida State's Lily Tessier is 47th in the nation with 10.37 assists/set as their go-to setter ... FSU is 7-2 in non-conference play this year.

First Serve
North Florida is 22-4 and 11-3 in ASUN ... the Ospreys tied a UNF DI-era single season wins record with their 22nd victory Saturday at Jacksonville ... the Ospreys' 11 ASUN victories also ties a program record for conference victories in a season ... North Florida has its most wins in a season since 2012 ... North Florida won 3-1 at Jacksonville in its last match ... UNF has won the last 10 meetings with Jacksonville ... Tuesday's match at FSU concludes a four-match road stint ... the last time UNF was at home was a 3-1 win against Lipscomb Oct. 24 ... FSU is the third Power Five opponent on UNF's schedule ... North Florida has played Virginia Tech, TCU and now FSU ... Solimar Cestero is six kills shy of 1,000 for her career ... the Ospreys are 5-3 in true road contests this year.

OF NOTE
>> UNF is 22-4 and 11-3 in the ASUN 
>> The Ospreys' 22 wins is tied for seventh in the nation.
>> UNF reached double-digit wins in ASUN play for the first time since 2012 
>> UNF came in at No. 71 in the latest NCAA RPI poll.
>> North Florida secured a spot in the ASUN Championship Nov. 18-20 
>> UNF can either finish second or third in the ASUN East Division 
>> This is UNF's final non-conference game of the regular season.
>> Gabby O'Connell became UNF's all-time sets played leader, reaching 481.
>> Solimar Cestero is six kills shy of 1,000.

AN OSPREY WIN WOULD...
-Give UNF 23 wins, the most in a single season during UNF's Division I era.
-Provide the Ospreys with their most wins in a season since 2004.
-Be the second Power Five victory of the season and second against an ACC foe. 
-Be UNF's first win against FSU.

LOOKING AHEAD
North Florida concludes the regular season with a two-match home stand. UNF hosts Kennesaw State Friday and Liberty Saturday for Senior Night.

WE LOVE JAX
UNF is 15-1 in matches played in a city named Jacksonville, going 11-1 at the UNF Arena, 1-0 at JU and 3-0 at Jacksonville State's ASUN Crossover.

NOVEMBER REIGN
November 6 in Jacksonville was a day-long rain shower, although UNF continued its reign against JU in the series history with a 3-1 win against the Dolphins at Jacksonville University. The Ospreys are on a 10-match winning streak against Jacksonville.

SEASONS COME & GO, BUT I'll NEVER CHANGE
Graduate student Gabby O'Connell has achieved a myriad of "firsts" in her storied career at UNF. The outside hitter became the UNF Division I era record holder for most matches played after appearing in Friday night's match at FGCU. One night later she played in five sets, surpassing Nicole Baran for first in UNF history for sets played. She's played in 129 matches for 481 sets.

MORO MOVES UP
UNF's all-time career digs/set record holder, Rocio Moro, continues her climb up the total digs ladder. Moro surpassed Jessica Bosacki (2000-03) for fourth in UNF history for total digs, reaching 1,513. Moro is 80 short of Traci Till's mark of 1,593. Nicole Baran touts the all-time record with 1,929 digs. Moro has only played 302 sets, 173 fewer than Baran.

THE WALL
Middle blocker Bre Walp finally became eligible in the UNF Career Record books for the blocks/set season record after surpassing 100 sets played this season. The middle blocker is third in UNF history for blocks/set in a season with 1.08. Her total is currently the best for a single season in UNF's DI era. Walp has 190 career blocks.

A NEW "ASUN" RISING
UNF's 11 wins in ASUN play ties a program best for ASUN wins in a season.

A win Friday against Kennesaw State would set a program record for ASUN victories in a single season.

SOLI NEARS 1,000
Solimar Cestero has been a staple in UNF's offense since coming to UNF in 2018. The outside hitter has 994 kills, nine short of becoming the 12th in program history to reach 1,000.  Cestero already surpassed 1,000 points for her career earlier this season. She surpassed Anna Budinska for 10th in UNF history for attack attempts during Saturday's win at Stetson. The Toa Baja, P.R., native paced UNF with 424 kills in 2019, the same year she was named to the 2019 ASUN Second Team.

THE OSPREY CURTAIN
UNF has been racking up the ASUN Defensive Player of the Week awards this season. So much so that the Ospreys set a conference record for the most ASUN Defensive Player of the Week awards earned in consecutive weeks, winning all four thus far in 2021. 

The previous record was three, shared by FGCU and ETSU. 

ASUN Defensive Player of the Week Awards:
-Bre Walp (Aug. 30, 2021)
-Rocio Moro (Sept. 7, 2021)
-Rocio Moro (Sept. 13, 2021)
-Bre Walp (Sept. 20, 2021)
-Rocio Moro (Oct. 25, 2021)

Moro also made history for the ASUN after claiming three more ASUN Defensive Player of the Week awards during this fall season. The San Juan, P.R., native is the first player in conference history to earn seven ASUN Defensive Player of the Week honors. 

If you combine her ASUN Freshman of the Week honors, Moro has tallied 11 weekly awards to go with her Spring 2021 ASUN Defensive Player of the Year honor and Fall 2021 ASUN Preseason Defensive Player of the Year award.

Moro was recognized as a Volleyballmag.com All-Freshman Team Honorable Mention in December of 2019. She's also picked up Spring 2021 ASUN First Team honors and 2019 ASUN All-Freshman squad laurels. The libero is the UNF all-time record holder for career digs/set (5.01).

Walp's numbers are eye-popping this year as she leads a slew of strong blockers. The middle blocker has 122 blocks. Consistency has been paramount for her as she has put up at least two blocks in every match, while recording five matches with seven blocks or more.

THAT'S A FIRST
North Florida's 22-4 start has seen a series of "firsts" in program history.
-First win against an ACC Team
-First victory against a Big East Team
-First time hosting a Big East program
-First time going 7-0 to start the season
-Highest RPI ranking (49) in DI history
-First win against Liberty in program history
-UNF earned its first win vs. Lipscomb since '12.
-Reached 20 wins for the first time since 2015
-First time reaching double-digit ASUN wins
-Reaching the 22 win mark since 2012
-Nabbing 11 wins in ASUN play since 2012.