Volleyball Vaults Over FIU With 16-Block Effort

Sunday, October 30

Miami, Fla.

4 p.m.

University of North Florida

10-14,7-5ASUN

FIU

-717,46 CUSA

North Florida

FIU

10/30/2022 7:53:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

McFall Tallies 10 Blocks, Most By a UNF Freshman in a Four-Set Match

MIAMI - North Florida volleyball's defense was impenetrable, unleashing a 16-block effort as the Ospreys (10-14, 7-5 ASUN) stymied FIU, 3-1, in UNF's non-conference finale Sunday, Oct. 30. Freshman Kierstyn McFall had 10 blocks, tying the UNF four-set match record, while setting the UNF freshman record for a four-frame contest.

UNF's 16-block afternoon was its most in a four-set match since posting 18 at Stetson Oct. 4, 2014. It's also good for the fourth-most blocks in a four-session match in UNF history. The last time UNF posted 16 blocks, regardless of the total number of sets played, was Sept. 10, 2018 during a 3-2 win against North Dakota. That was during head coach Kristen Wright's first season, while Solimar Cestero is the lone remaining Osprey from that team.

The Ospreys averaged 3.20 blocks/set over the weekend, while McFall posted 1.70 and Maddie Boyd, 1.40. UNF's win at FIU brought the Ospreys to a 7-3 record during the month, while also finishing UNF's non-conference slate. UNF held the Panthers (7-17, 4-6 C-USA) to .099 hitting, the lowest mark by a UNF non-conference opponent this season.

North Florida will be happy to return to Jacksonville after playing three matches in three days across three different cities. UNF played Eastern Kentucky Friday night, at Bellarmine Saturday and finally at FIU in Miami Sunday afternoon. UNF's final four matches of the regular season will be spaced out over the next two weeks, with North Florida playing each contest in the Sunshine State.

UNF 3, FIU 1 (17-25, 25-23, 25-22, 25-11)

Inside the Sets

Set 1: FIU used an early 6-1 run to take a 10-5 lead, an advantage it held throughout the rest of the set … the Panthers hit .345, nearly .300 points better than any other total it posted the rest of the afternoon.
Set 2: FIU was poised to ride momentum from the first set into the middle portions of the second, but UNF resisted, evening things up at 10-10 after Cestero went cross court for a kill … consecutive blocks from Kailey McKnight and Boyd electrified the Ospreys and eventually lifted the squad to a two-point lead … up 23-19, FIU rattled off a 4-0 run thanks to some strong serving … UNF remained collected though, taking the set after kills from Mahalia White and Boyd.
Set 3: The third set followed the second, with the session tied 9-9 and eventually, 15-15 … every point mattered late, as head coach Kristen Wright issued a successful challenge that overturned a call on an over pass that initially landed down in favor of FIU … instead of a three-point deficit, UNF trailed by just one … FIU would go up, 22-19, but UNF pulled off a miraculous 6-0 run to close the stanza.
Set 4: With FIU on the ropes, UNF posted its best set of the day, dominating with nine kills, zero attack errors, .450 hitting and six blocks … conversely, FIU was held to -.061 offensively.

Leaders By the Numbers
UNF

Mahalia White | 15 kills, 4 blocks
Maddie Boyd | 10 kills, 6 blocks, .500 hitting
Kierstyn McFall | 10 blocks, 3 kills
Savannah Cook | 37 assists, 3 blocks
Rocio Moro | 23 digs, 4 assists
Kailey McKnight | 7 kills, 6 digs, 6 blocks

FIU

Alyssa Wissinger | 15 kills, 2 block assists
Sarah Nading | 41 assists, 10 digs
Katie Turner | 12 digs

Notes

White is only five kills short of 1,000 for her career after considering her numbers from her years at UC Davis
North Florida is 3-2 all-time against FIU
All five matches against FIU have gone at least four sets
North Florida is 2-0 in matches at FIU
The Ospreys are 6-6 in matches played in Florida
UNF hadn't played a non-conference match since Sept. 17 against South Dakota State
The Ospreys have posted double-digit blocks six times this year
McKnight's previous career high for blocks was three, something she had done five times
Cestero is 14 sets played short of breaking former teammate Gabby O'Connell's career record for sets played
Cestero is five matches shy of breaking the program record for matches played
UNF's 16-block effort was its fourth-most in a four-set match in program history
Five different times a UNF student-athlete has posted 10 blocks in a four-set match, although this was the first time a freshman had done so.
White has paced the Ospreys in kills 19 times this season.
UNF held FIU to .099 hitting, the lowest opponents' hitting percentage by a non-conference foe UNF has faced this year.
North Florida held opponents under .100 hitting twice this weekend, while also doing so against Bellarmine.

Postmatch Comments

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Hear from @CoachKWright12 after the Ospreys take home a 3-1 win at FIU in their non-conference finale. #OSPREYWay // #MAXOUT pic.twitter.com/ZvBEpYY3OH
— UNF Volleyball (@OspreyVB) October 30, 2022