FLORENCE, Ala. (October 4, 2024) – The University of North Alabama volleyball team's hot streak continued Friday night, winning its fourth-straight match with a 3-1 home victory against the Eastern Kentucky University Colonels in CB&S Bank Arena.
North Alabama evens its overall record to move to 8-8 on the season and 2-1 in the ASUN. EKU drops to 10-6 on the year with a 1-2 record in conference play.
It was a team effort in the victory, with UNA leading EKU in total kills (55-51), assists (50-48), service aces (6-4) and digs (68-59). The Lions tied the Colonels in team blocks with 10, which marks UNA's second-highest team total of the season. North Alabama also set season-highs with total assists in a four-set match.
Opening a two-match weekend from Florence against the Colonels, North Alabama and EKU came out the gates firing with both teams looking to seize the early momentum.
The teams played to a stalemate for the majority of the first half, until a 5-1 EKU run gave the visitors a 17-13 lead in the opening set. The Colonels held their lead as the first set came to close, but the Lions outscored EKU 10-6 late in the set to tie the match at 23-23. The teams alternated points to send the set into extras, but five set points (including two for EKU), the Lions came away with the first point of the match in a 30-28 triumph.
The Lions earned the competitive first set, extending their winning ways in the second set to take the 2-0 lead against the Colonels. Kills from graduate Jasmine Brooks (five), freshman Reese Ricketts (four) and senior Brenna Tietz (three) paced the offense, with UNA also securing key points to take advantage of eight errors in the set from EKU.
UNA took the early lead in set two and never looked back, eventually extending their set lead en route to the third frame. The teams were tied at 4-4 when a 5-0 run pushed the lead to 9-4 thanks to three-straight blocks from Brooks, senior Elif Ozsoy and freshman Autumn Holmes. The Colonels worked their way back from the deficit to tie the match twice at 10 and 14, but a late 5-0 run from UNA seized the EKU momentum to see the second set out, 25-18. The Lions took a 2-0 lead with the match heading into set three.
The Colonels needed a response in the third frame and got one with a 25-16 set win. EKU looked to the fourth set to spark the rally, but North Alabama fended off the Colonels with a decisive fourth set to take the home win.
It was an all-around effort from the Lions, taking again advantage of EKU errors along with solid play on the offensive and defensive end. Five Lions secured at least two kills, but the difference on offense came from the service line as aces from sophomore Olivia Fenoff and freshman Audrey Small proved huge down the stretch. The defense also proved key as the Lions led the advantage in digs, 21-13, with UNA also securing three blocks. North Alabama saved their best for last as a 25-16 fourth set gave the Lions the 3-1 win against the Colonels.
Brooks led the Lions in kills with 18, finishing three shy of tying her career-high of 21. Ricketts tallied the second-most kills with 15, also finishing with 16 digs to earn her eighth double-double of the season.
Ozsoy tied a season high with 45 assists, with Fenoff and Small tied for the team high with two service aces. Small and senior Katy Floyd both were solid on the back line with 19 digs each to lead the team, and Holmes proved to be a force defensively at the net with a career-high and team-high five blocks.
The Lions will look to stay hot on Sunday, Oct. 6 from CB&S Bank Arena, taking on the Bellarmine Knights in an ASUN matchup at 1 p.m.
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