JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Some usual suspects combined with late-set magic from a few new faces fueled North Florida (1-0) swept Rhode Island (0-2) in the season opener Friday, Aug. 30 from the UNF Arena.
Amy Burkhardt paced the way with a 12-kill and 10-dig double-double as UNF hit .324 as a team and held Rhode Island to a .180 clip.
UNF 3, Rhode Island 0 (30-28, 25-23, 25-15)
Inside the Sets
- Set 1: The first set started off tight on both sides, with UNF taking a 15-13 advantage at the first media timeout … Ella Bines and Amy Burkhardt were the most efficient in the early going, collecting four kills apiece … things were even again at 22-22 until Burkhardt and Jacqueline Arrington teamed up for a block … North Florida created two more set points, but URI held tough each time … Rhode Island worked its first set point at 27-26, but Kierstyn McFall evened it up with a kill … Arrington closed out the set with a kill, finishing a 36-minute frame.
- Set 2: UNF carried that momentum into the second set, starting things off with an 8-3 lead … Rhode Island rallied and took a 23-20 lead, but North Florida had another late spurt on Emma Pohlmann's serve … Burkhardt came up with a solo block for a 24-23 lead … Arrington was on the docket again for a set-closing kill, giving North Florida a 25-23 win.
- Set 3: Mya Sopata broke a 9-9 tie by rising up for a kill as UNF cruised the rest of the way, hitting .371 while holding Rhode Island to just eight kills.
Leaders By the Numbers
UNF
Rhode Island
- Havyn Rolle | 6 kills
- Karlee Pinell | 8 kills, digs
- Edie Lamoreaux | 15 kills
Notes
- It was the first-ever meeting between these two teams
- It was the first time that UNF has opened the season at home under coach Wright
- Ella Bines made her first-career start at UNF
- Dakota Skye-Spurrier, Kacey Kazmierski, Kamila Mieles and Arrington also made their UNF debuts off the bench
- Kristen Wright is 4-3 in season openers
- 15 different Ospreys saw the court
Up Next
North Florida stays home to host Quinnipiac and Mercer tomorrow.
