SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Kailey McKnight turned in a game-high 16 kills,
Amy Burkhardt dropped in four aces and
Kelly Negron notched a double-double in her UNF debut as North Florida volleyball (1-0) started the 2023 campaign with a 3-1 win against Denver (0-1) Friday, Aug. 25.
The Ospreys and Pioneers shared 25-15 wins respectively through the first two frames, but North Florida had the better legs late, tallying consecutive 25-18 results over frames three and four.
Negron's double-double is the first such performance in the debut of a UNF student-athlete since Gabby O'Connell did so against Drake in August of 2016.
As a squad, UNF had the advantage in kills, hitting percentage, assists, aces, digs and blocks. The victory gives UNF a 3-0 record all-time against the six-time Summit League Champs in Denver.
It was a homecoming of sorts for a number of Ospreys, with four UNF student-athletes having California ties. Head coach
Kristen Wright also coached her first indoor volleyball match back in her home state since taking over the program in 2017.
UNF 3, Denver 1 (25-15, 15-25, 25-18, 25-18)
Inside the Sets
- Set 1: Burkhardt had two kills and a block to help UNF to a 4-0 run and a 5-3 early lead … UNF hit .500 while holding Denver to .000 hitting as the Ospreys built a 15-10 lead … a string of Denver errors mixed in with another Burkhardt ace helped UNF build a 20-13 lead … North Florida hit .381 for the set while forcing Denver into .000 from the attack in a dominant 25-15 frame.
- Set 2: Denver settled down and established a 10-7 lead, forcing UNF into a timeout … McKnight had a strong second session, but Denver cleaned up its side of the net to take a 19-14 lead, forcing another North Florida timeout … the Pioneers won the second set with the identical score as the first frame, committing only one attack error.
- Set 3: McKnight had two quick kills, Negron had another and Moro provided an ace to fuel UNF to a 6-3 lead in the third … Denver went on a 3-0 run to tie it, but a smooth set from Negron set up a kill from Kierstyn McFall for the 7-6 lead … McKnight continued to do it all, providing two assists amidst a 4-0 run that created a 12-8 lead … Burkhardt and McKnight provided clutch plays to keep Denver at bay … Maddie Boyd had an emphatic block to put UNF up, 20-16 … North Florida won four of the last five points in the frame to take the opening set.
- Set 4: Burkhardt had a big swing on an overpass, giving UNF a kill and a 5-3 lead … a 3-0 run brought North Florida to a 10-6 lead … Denver turned in a 3-0 run, but UNF prevented it from blooming to a 4-0 clip thanks to a successful challenge … UNF used three-straight Denver attack errors to create a 15-10 lead … North Florida had four fewer attack errors in the fourth, helping UNF hold on.
Leaders By the Numbers
UNF
Denver
- Cassie Davis | 11 kills, 4 digs
- Genevieve Lewis | 11 kills, .304 hitting percentage
- Briley Decker | 40 assists, 4 digs
- Gianna Bartalo | 15 digs
Coach Wright's Comments
"I like the way we came out today as a team. We did a nice job of executing our game plan and I like the balance we have on our roster. Our setters made great adjustments and put our hitters in good positions to score." -- Head Coach Kristen Wright
Notes
- Annie Antar made her first start since the 2021 season
- Burkhardt made her first start since Oct. 1 of last season
- Kelly Negron, Morgan Wilson, Kyla Solis and Janelly Ceopa made their UNF debuts
- It was the third-ever meeting against Denver and first as DI foes
- North Florida went up against Denver head coach Megan Pendergast in her first season with the Pioneers
- North Florida is 3-3 in season openers under head coach Kristen Wright
- Negron and White both previously competed in the Big West Conference, a league that featured UCSB
- Four of UNF's student-athletes have California ties
- Negron posted a double-double in her first career match
- Negron is the first Osprey to post a double-double in her UNF debut since Gabby O'Connell in 2016
- 14 Ospreys saw the floor Friday
Up Next
North Florida laces up for game two of the Thunderdome Classic tomorrow at 7 p.m. EST (4 p.m. PST) against New Mexico State.
