FORT MYERS, Fla. - North Florida volleyball used stifling defense and resilient play to overturn three-seeded Eastern Kentucky (21-8) in a morning affair as the Ospreys (17-14) advanced to the Atlantic Sun Championship Semifinals with a 3-1 quarterfinals win Thursday, Nov. 16.
UNF makes its first appearance in the championship semifinals since the fall of 2021 season and third semifinals outing in six seasons.Three of the four sets went past the minimum length as the contest lasted over two hours.
UNF set a season high for blocks with 15, while holding a six-point advantage at the service line and getting 40 of its 58 kills from
Mahalia White and
Kailey McKnight.
UNF 3, EKU 1 (26-24, 25-18, 25-27, 26-24)
Inside the Sets
- Set 1: Neither team could find an offensive rhythm in the early points, but two UNF aces gave the Ospreys an early advantage … EKU was the first to create a two-point lead, going up 7-5, but UNF would get even … UNF won a key challenge to reverse a 10-7 deficit and make it just a 9-8 deficit … EKU was able to go on a 3-0 run to take a 15-11 lead at the first media timeout … UNF went on a 3-0 run to get within one, but EKU replied with two quick points … down 19-16, UNF took its first timeout of the match … some stellar defense stymied EKU, allowing UNF to tie it up, 21-21 … Kierstyn McFall came up with a potentially set-saving block to keep UNF from getting down, 24-21 … Moro replied with an amazing dig, setting up a Kailey McKnight kill to tie things up … EKU suffered six service errors in the first frame.
- Set 2: EKU held a slim lead early on in the first frame once again, but a 3-0 UNF run tied it at 8-8 as McKnight tied it with an ace … Mahalia White gave UNF its first lead of the first frame, making it 9-8 Ospreys … UNF kept its foot on the gas, going on a 8-4 run to take a 19-14 lead … UNF hit a scorching .417 in the second frame.
- Set 3: UNF emerged to take a 9-4 lead early in the third frame … up 14-9, EKU went on a 3-0 run to force UNF into a timeout … McKnight came up with a kill out of the timeout to push UNF to a three-point lead and regain some momentum … Maddie Boyd got a kill on the slide to push the lead back to two points … Mahalia White came up with consecutive kills to give UNF a 20-18 lead … North Florida won a challenge to extend a set and reverse set point for EKU … Maddie Boyd would get the block to tie things at 24 … EKU was able to drop in an ace and get a kill off the block to push things to four frames.
- Set 4: North Florida exploded for an early 5-0 run to take a 7-3 lead, forcing EKU into a timeout … EKU crawled back with a 6-3 run and got within one … McKnight was timely again, posting a kill to keep UNF in front by a crooked number … things were tied up, 11-11 and 12-12 … Kailey McKnight got UNF even with a roll shot kill, tying things at 17 … both teams traded points before EKU got a 22-20 lead … UNF came back out of the timeout to tie it … McKnight kept the set alive with a clutch kill, working past EKU's set point … Morgan Wilson came up with a key dig during that rally … Anna Butler and Boyd teamed up on the block to close the set.
Leaders By the Numbers
UNF
EKU
- Sarah Mitchell | 16 kills, 7 digs
- Josie Schmitendorf | 29 digs
- Chloe Mason | 32 assists, 14 digs
Notes
- Three of the four sets went past the minimum 25-point threshold
- North Florida won both contests against EKU
- This is UNF's third appearance in the Atlantic Sun Championship Semifinals during head coach Kristen Wright's tenure and first since the spring 2021
- Wright earned her 90th win in her tenure
- North Florida went for a season-high 15 blocks
- UNF held a six-point advantage at the service line
- McKnight and White's performance of 20 kills apiece marked the first time this year two Ospreys posted at least 20 kills
- McKnight went for her 10th double-double of the season
- Five different Ospreys had an ace
Up Next
UNF faces the winner of Lipscomb and Stetson in the Atlantic Sun Championship Semifinals tomorrow at 4 p.m.
