Ospreys Best Bears With Ace Outburst

Sunday, October 22

Conway, Ark.

2 p.m.

University of North Florida

12-12,5-5ASUN

Central Arkansas

6-16,0-9ASUN

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
North Florida	25	23	25	25	3
Central Ark.	23	25	19	20	1

Kailey McKnight going up for a serve at the service line

UNF went for 14 aces, its most in over a decade for a four-set match.

Photo by: North Alabama Athletics

10/22/2023 5:24:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

North Florida Also Goes for Season High 12 Blocks

CONWAY, Ark. - Thanks to 14 aces and 12 blocks from the team and 36 digs from Rocio Moro, North Florida volleyball (12-12, 5-5 ASUN) evened up its weekend road swing with a 3-1 win at Central Arkansas (6-16, 0-10 ASUN) Sunday, Oct. 22.

UNF's 14 aces are good for the most by a North Florida team since 2010 and tied for sixth in UNF's history for four-set matches. The 12-block effort also marked a season high and was the most by the Ospreys in a single match since the spring of 2021.

Moro's magnificent 36-dig effort was her second-most and tied for third in program history. The libero's career mark came in November of 2019 with a 38-dig performance against Lipscomb.

UNF 3, UCA 1 (25-23, 23-25, 25-19, 25-20)

Inside the Sets

Set 1: Neither side made an error through the first six points, with six kills being put down over 11 attacks as UCA took a 4-2 lead … UNF rallied from down 7-2 and also 12-8, going on a 4-0 run to tie things up … an attack error finally gave UNF its first lead of the set at 14-13 … Negron sent UNF to a 15-13 lead at the media timeout … UCA got within one at 18-17, with a UCA service error and Jessica Buis ace … UNF created a 24-20 lead, but UCA won a challenge to extend the session … UCA got to 24-23, but Annie Antar executed the dump shot kill for the first set win after 38 minutes … UNF's five aces provided the difference in the first.
Set 2: North Florida posted four blocks over the first 12 points of the set to run out to a 8-4 lead … North Florida maintained its lead to a 15-12 advantage at the media timeout … up 17-13, UCA responded to score four straight out of a timeout and force UNF to a timeout … UNF didn't have a service error until one late into the second set as the match was tied 18-18 … UCA dropped in an ace late in the second set to take a one-point lead and eventually got a kill and another ace to tie things up.
Set 3: Once again it was UNF out in front early, taking a 12-9 lead … UCA would rattle off a 3-0 run to get even … North Florida won a challenge on what was called a service error, getting to a 15-12 lead at the media timeout … Rocio Moro recognized some open space and posted a kill for the 4-1 run and a 20-15 lead … North Florida closed out the set for a 2-1 lead.
Set 4: Midway through the fourth frame things were closed, but a UNF 5-2 run broke up a 14-13 advantage for the Ospreys, giving UNF some breathing room … North Florida held UCA to a match-low hitting percentage in the final frame to close things out.

Leaders By the Numbers
UCA

Laci Bohannan | 17 kills, 16 digs
Caylan Koons | 46 assists

UNF

Amy Burkhardt | 12 kills, .300 hitting percentage, 4 blocks
Maddie Boyd | 10 kills, .643 hitting percentage, 7 blocks
Kailey McKnight | 12 kills, 7 digs, 4 aces, 2 blocks
Rocio Moro | 36 digs, 3 aces
Annie Antar | 36 assists, 7 digs, 6 kills, .545 hitting percentage, 3 blocks, 2 aces

Notes

North Florida played at UCA for the first time in series history
The Ospreys earned their first road win in league play
Moro's 36-dig effort is the third most by an Osprey in a single match in program history. She finished two shy of her career high
North Florida set season highs in blocks and aces
Boyd reached the double-digit kill mark for the second time this year, while hitting a season high .643

Up Next
North Florida begins its final road stint out of the state of Florida Friday, Oct. 27 at Queens.