Ospreys Fall in Weekend Finale to Syracuse

Saturday, September 3

Orlando, Fla.

2 p.m.

University of North Florida

1-4,0-0ASUN

Syracuse

3-3,0-0ACC

Syracuse

North Florida

Solimar Cestero going up for a block at the net

Photo by: Brock Borgeson

9/3/2022 4:26:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

White Posts Season-High 19 Kills on .567 Hitting

ORLANDO - Despite 19-kills and a .567 hitting percentage from Mahalia White, North Florida volleyball (1-4) couldn't slow down an efficient Syracuse (3-3) team as the Ospreys closed their weekend in Orlando with a 3-0 loss to the Orange. It was UNF's fourth match against a Power Five foe in five contests to open the year and the second time UNF has gone against an ACC team on the year.

North Florida played 13 different student-athletes in the three-set match. Jenna Zimmermann neared her second double-double of the weekend and Rocio Moro posted a 14-dig and five-assist game.

UNF 0, Syracuse 3 (25-27, 17-25, 22-25)

Inside the Sets

Set 1: For the second time this weekend, UNF's first set went past the 25-point threshold as it saw 11 tie scores and two lead changes … UNF trailed 3-0 out of the opening serve but a 4-0 run gave UNF a 13-9 lead, its first of the frame … North Florida led by as much as five … SU regained the lead at 20-19, its first since holding a 9-8 advantage … out of a timeout, Solimar Cestero and Maddie Boyd provided kills to tie the game, 21-21 … after evading two set points, Syracuse eventually won the frame on a UNF attack error.
Set 2: Syracuse created an early lead and didn't let go of it as the Orange went up 2-0.
Set 3: Despite a furious seven-kill set by White and a late push, the Orange hung on … UNF trailed, 24-20, but kills from Kailey McKnight and White and an ace from McKnight brought UNF back to life … a tremendous pancake dig by Moro kept the final point alive, but a backrow attack caused Syracuse to win the point and match.

Leaders By the Numbers
UNF

Mahalia White | 19 kills, .567 hitting percentage, 4 digs
Jenna Zimmermann | 28 assists, 8 digs, 2 aces
Rocio Moro | 14 digs, 5 assists
Maddie Boyd | 4 kills, 2 blocks
Kailey McKnight | 8 kills, 6 digs, 1 ace

Syracuse

Viktori Lokhmanchuk | 14 kills, 4 digs, 1 block
Naomi Franco | 13 kills, 4 blocks
Polina Shemanova | 9 ills, 8 digs, 3 aces
Lauren Woodford | 19 assists, 3 digs

Postgame Comments

.@CoachKWright12 recaps the weekend finale against Syracuse in Orlando #OSPREYWay pic.twitter.com/PMytJa1hkF
— UNF Volleyball (@OspreyVB) September 3, 2022

Notes

It was the first match against Syracuse in program history
White posted her second-nine kill set of the year after doing so against No. 15 Florida in the season opener
UNF has faced ACC foes in Virginia and Syracuse on the season
UNF has faced Syracuse, Kansas State, Florida and Virginia this season, with the lone non-Power Five match coming against ETSU
White has reached double-digit kills in all five matches this season
Moro reached 1,700-career digs for her career after the match
UNF played 13 of its 15 active student-athletes in the match
Four of the six sets played this weekend were decided by three points or less

Up Next
UNF picks back up against Troy in Birmingham, Ala., Friday, Sept. 9 at 5 p.m.