University of North Florida
14-16,7-9ASUN
No. 1 FGCU
19-9,13-3ASUN
Volleyball Advances To ASUN Championship Semifinals With Five-Set Victory Over FGCU
11/20/2025 10:00:00 PM | Volleyball
FORT MYERS, Fla. - North Florida volleyball earned a spot in the Atlantic Sun Championship Semifinals with a resilient five-set victory over No. 1-seeded Florida Gulf Coast, 3-2, on Thursday evening.
North Florida's victory against the four-time defending ASUN Tournament champion FGCU was its first road win at Alico Arena since 2020.
Graduate outside hitters Kailey McKnight and Janelly Ceopa, freshman opposite Kendall Newbold and senior opposite Mackenzie Piester led the way for North Florida, all posting 10-plus kills in the win.
UNF 3, FGCU 2 (20-25, 25-20, 25-22, 25-14, 15-12)
Set 1: North Florida fought back from a 10-3 deficit to come within three points of FGCU amid the set, trailing 17-14. McKnight was sensational in set one with five kills total.
Set 2: Newbold and junior middle blocker Yarimar Francis Garay notched one of their combined 17 blocks early in set two, cutting North Florida's deficit to 3-2. Newbold reached seven kills and two blocks amid set two, fueling a 6-1 run for the Ospreys. Newbold sealed the victory with a kill on set-point.
Set 3:Â Senior middle blocker Kierstyn McFall knotted the score at seven apiece with an ace. With the score tied again late in set three, Ceopa put down three kills in a seven-point stretch, helping secure a 2-1 lead in the match.
Set 4: Ceopa carried her momentum into set four, tallying a kill to tie the score at three. Newbold reached double-digit kills amid the set and also tallied her seventh block.
Set 5: North Florida showed incredible fight, storming back from a 9-6 deficit with a 5-0 surge to earn an 11-9 advantage. McKnight tallied a pair of kills to lead the comeback for UNF. Francis Garay put down a clutch kill on match-point, bringing North Florida's ASUN Championship Quarterfinal match to its final margin.
UNF
Kailey McKnight | 15 kills
Sofia Dawson | 28 assists
Julianna Santiago | 9 digs
Sofia Dawson | 9 digs
Yarimar Francis Garay | 9 blocks
FGCU
Barbara Zoehler | 16 kills
Hanna Borer | 27 assists
Julija Grubisic Cabo | 12 digs
NOTES
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Francis Garay and Newbold each notched career-highs in blocks with nine and eight, respectively.
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FGCU was the defending four-time ASUN Tournament Champion.
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Redshirt freshman setter Evelina Gerogianni added 25 assists.
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Piester tallied 11 kills on .500 hitting and senior middle blocker Kierstyn McFall added five kills on .313 hitting.
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Newbold tallied 10-plus kills for the 17th time this season.
UP NEXT
North Florida will play in the ASUN Championship Semifinals for the first time since 2023Â against No. 4-seeded Central Arkansas on Friday, Nov. 21. First serve is slated for 7 p.m. at Alico Arena.
