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University of North Florida Athletics

Savannah Cook serving the ball
Garrett Robinson
3
Winner North Florida UNF 4-11,2-2 ASUN
1
Austin Peay APSU 9-6,2-2 ASUN
Winner
North Florida UNF
4-11,2-2 ASUN
3
Final
1
Austin Peay APSU
9-6,2-2 ASUN
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 F
North Florida UNF 20 25 25 25 (3)
Austin Peay APSU 25 22 16 18 (1)

Game Recap: Volleyball |

Unrattled Ospreys Snap Austin Peay’s 15-Match Home-Winning Streak

UNF Posts 14 Blocks, Three Ospreys Register at Least 13 Kills

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Staring down more adversity, significant lineup alterations and a 15-match home winning streak for the hosts in Austin Peay, North Florida volleyball found another gear and got huge contributions up and down the lineup as the Ospreys blocked their way to a 3-1 win against the Governors Saturday, Oct. 1.

A multitude of Ospreys (4-11, 2-2 ASUN) touted season and career highs as North Florida put up a clinic with 14 blocks, .293 hitting and only 13 attack errors.

Amy Burkhardt and Solimar Cestero matched one another with 14 kills, Kailey McKnight posted another double-double and Savannah Cook quarterbacked the offense, finishing just one dig shy of a double-double in her young UNF career.

Maddie Boyd and Kierstyn McFall caused headaches for Austin Peay's attack. The middle blockers teamed up for 13 blocks as their effort prevented Austin Peay from finding any offensive rhythm. Rocio Moro was steady as usual, inching closer to the UNF record for digs with a 19-dig and six-assist outing.

Austin Peay (9-6, 2-2 ASUN) was ushered into extremely unfamiliar territory Saturday night as the Governors suffered their first loss at home since February of 2021.

UNF 3, APSU 1 (20-25, 25-22, 25-16, 25-18)

Inside the Sets
  • Set 1: The first frame was highlighted by momentum shifts as the Ospreys and Governors traded runs … four UNF kills gave the Ospreys an early, 5-1, lead, although APSU rattled off their first of two long runs, tying the match up at 8-8 … Cook provided some crafty dump shot kills in the middle of the frame, helping UNF to a 15-12 lead at the media timeout … thanks to a .440 hitting percentage, UNF generated a 17-12 lead, but APSU saved its biggest run, a 13-3 run to close the session … Cestero had a match-high five kills in the first frame and UNF posted more kills than the Governors, but fewer errors by the hosts proved to be the difference.
  • Set 2: Despite an early 5-0 deficit, a roaring rally fueled UNF to a critical set-two win … UNF took its first lead of the set thanks to a furious effort by Burkhardt late in the frame … a Burkhardt kill gave UNF a 19-18 lead and she followed that up with a block, forcing Austin Peay into a timeout … APSU ended up tying things up again at 20-20, but Cestero came through with another kill, giving UNF a 22-21 lead … the Ospreys ran out to a 24-21 lead with a 4-1 run … APSU got one point back, but an APSU mishap on an overpass gave the Ospreys the set.
  • Set 3: Riding the momentum shift of the second set, UNF claimed a 6-2 lead to start the third session … the Ospreys held as much as a 7-2 lead, using a 6-0 clip made possible by some dominant blocking at the net … .375 hitting and .000 on the other side of the net saw UNF to a 12-6 lead … McFall found a groove on the block and attack, getting in rhythm with Cook to hold APSU back as the Ospreys won by the largest margin of any set.
  • Set 4: Once again, the Ospreys never even allowed APSU to get even, just as it had in the third stanza … the Ospreys jumped out to a 3-0 lead, although Austin Peay got within one at 6-5 … that was the closest that the hosts got as UNF staved off APSU … North Florida held APSU to a match-low .000 hitting percentage in the fourth frame … McKnight was a spark for the Ospreys in the fourth set, posting six kills on .600 hitting while UNF dropped in three aces.

Leaders By the Numbers
UNF
APSU
  • Tegan Seyring | 17 kills, .308 hitting percentage
  • Kelsey Mead | 26 assists
  • Erin Eisenhart | 15 digs, 5 assists, 2 aces

Postmatch Comments
 
Notes
  • It was the first-ever meeting between UNF and Austin Peay. 
  • McKnight posted the second double-double of her season. She was one kill shy of tying her career high for kills.
  • APSU committed 27 attack errors, hitting .150.
  • Burkhardt was phenomenal, earning 14 kills en route to a new career high. She hit above .400 for the fifth time this season.
  • Cestero turned in a season-best 14 kills as well.
  • McFall set a season high with seven blocks, finishing just one ahead of Boyd on the night as the duo was dominant at the net.
  • Cook posted the second 40-plus assist evening of the year, setting a season high for kills and assists while finishing just one dig shy of a double-double and one ace short of another season high.
  • UNF's 14 blocks marked the second time this year UNF has reached 14 blocks. The other came in a five-set win against South Dakota State when the Ospreys tallied 14.5.
  • Austin Peay came into the match with the third-longest home winning streak in the country. APSU's last home loss was 574 days ago.
  • The Governors hadn't lost at home since February of 2021 against Murray State
  • UNF didn't trail or even have APSU force a tie for the entire second and third set.
  • The Ospreys have outblocked its foes in seven-straight matches.
  • Moro is only 62 digs shy of setting the UNF record for all-time digs.
  • Cestero is now 10th all-time in UNF history for matches played with 127. She broke a three-way tie with UNF greats, Paige Pridgeon and Nicole Baran.
  • Cestero is also just 52 sets shy of setting the UNF all-time record for sets played, held by former four-year teammate Gabby O'Connell. Cestero is also now eighth all-time for kills with 1,128, moving past Kaley Read during Saturday's match.
  • It was the first match in which Mahalia White did not see the court this year.

Up Next
UNF will continue ASUN play in Jacksonville with a Friday matinee against Central Arkansas Oct. 7.
 
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