FLORENCE, Ala. (November 5, 2023) – The University of North Alabama volleyball team celebrated senior day in style, taking a four-set victory against the EKU Colonels in CB&S Bank Arena at Flowers Hall in Florence.
The victory added on to UNA's record-setting season win total, moving their record to 16-10 overall with a 8-6 record in Atlantic Sun play. The win also clinched the Lions' first ASUN Volleyball Championship tournament berth in program history.
It was a slow start for UNA, as the visitors from Richmond took the first set by six points, but North Alabama gained momentum with each ensuing set. A 25-22 second set and 25-17 third set win for UNA brought about a battle in set four, with the Lions able to pull away to take the victory.
Graduate middle blocker Anna Katherine Griggs (15 kills) and junior outside hitter Katy Floyd (14 kills) led the way in attacking for North Alabama.
Senior Day honoree's Mattrice Harris (five kills, five blocks, two service aces) and Kennedey Johnson (27 assists) helped pace the Lions in the final home match of their UNA careers, while contributions from Avery Markham (three service aces), Nicole Sargent (six kills) and Hayley Martin (nine kills) sent the crowd home happy.
EKU set the tone early, jumping out to a quick 6-2 and extending to 10-4 early in the first set. A kill and two service aces by Mattrice Harris cut the lead to 10-7, but the Colonels answered with a 5-0 run. Kills from Nicole Sargent and Hayley Martin sparked a 4-0 run right after, but the Lions were unable to trim away at EKU's lead en route to a 25-19 set finish.
Three lead changes started set two, fueled by three kills from Floyd. EKU would battle the Lions in hopes of cutting a 7-4 deficit, but too much offense from UNA made it difficult for the Colonels. Sixteen kills from the Lions to EKU's 12 proved to be the difference maker in the second set, as the Lions won 25-22.
The third set began with two lead changes, but the Lions' offense would have their best offensive showing of the match. Down 11-10, North Alabama got going with a 5-0 run as Martin, Floyd and Griggs jump-started the offense to build their lead. EKU responded with two points of their own to make it 15-13, but that would be the last time to Colonels won more than one on service. North Alabama outscored EKU 10-4 with a set-high 18 kills to take the third set by their largest margin, 25-17.
Set four began with a 5-1 run by UNA, as Griggs, Martin and Markham set the offensive tone early. A 3-0 run by EKU cut North Alabama's fourth set lead to 11-8, but a 5-2 run built a six-point margin for the Lions at 16-10. The Colonels fought back, outscoring the home team 7-2 to come within a point from tying at 18-17. A crucial timeout for UNA sparked a 4-0 run to build back up a 22-17 lead, but EKU came right back with a 4-0 run of their own. With a one-point lead, it would be Griggs' two kills that helped overcome the comeback attempt of the Colonels, taking the tightly-contested match with a 25-23 set win.
North Alabama will look to end the season on a high note before the ASUN Championship tournament, as they travel to Tennessee next weekend for the second meeting with both Lipscomb on Nov. 10 and Austin Peay on Nov. 11.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
