FLORENCE, Ala. (November 3, 2024) – The University of North Alabama volleyball team entered Sunday on a four-game winning streak, but North Florida ended hopes of a fifth with a 3-1 road win over the Lions inside CB&S Bank Arena in Florence on Sunday.
The Lions dip to 14-11 overall and 8-4 in the Atlantic Sun Conference, but remain in a tie for fourth place with EKU heading into the final two weeks of the regular season. Despite today's loss, the Lions have already clinched a spot in the postseason ASUN Championship Tournament. Meanwhile, the Ospreys (10-16, 6-6) moved to .500 in conference play and are now one game back of Jacksonville for sixth place.
Riding the momentum of a four-game win streak, including a five-set win over ASUN contender Central Arkansas this past Wednesday, the Lions got the crowd ignited early with a 25-17 win in the first set. However, that momentum shifted to the visitors after a come-from-behind 26-24 win in set two. The swing set was close, but UNF won it by three and rode the momentum to victory in set four.
Graduate hitter
Jasmine Brooks led with a game-high 21 kills. This gives her 56 kills over the last two matches following her Division I school record of 35 kills against Central Arkansas. True freshman
Kinslee McGowan was the primary setter again Sunday, posting 43 assists. She's had 98 in the last two matches.
Junior
Hayley Martin had 14 kills with just two errors on 28 attacks for a team-best .429 attack percentage. This marks a new career-high in games with 20 or more attempts. The previous was set last season against the Ospreys with 13 kills on 24 attacks.
Freshman phenom
Reese Ricketts tallied her 13th double-double this season with 10 kills and 12 assists.
HOW IT HAPPENED
SET 1 — UNA 25, UNF 17: Both sides started with a service error, but the kills began to pour in the rest of the way. The Lions out-killed the Ospreys 15-11 with five each from Brooks and Ricketts. Freshman
Autumn Holmes added three. UNA broke a 9-9 tie with an 8-1 run to make it 17-10. Brooks and Ricketts had the final two kills to secure the point.
SET 2 — UNF 26, UNA 24: The set started even, but UNF scored three straight to force a UNA timeout at 13-8. After that, Brooks answered immediately with a kill and the Lions inched out to a three-point lead at 21-18. The Ospreys survived late in the set with help from a kill and ace from Amy Burkhardt. Down 24-22, the Ospreys had back-to-back kills, a service ace and a tapper in no-man's-land to tie the match 1-1.
SET 3 — UNF 25, UNA 22: Brooks and Martin combined for five kills to make it an early 5-2 lead for UNA in the swing set. This was later parlayed into a 9-3 lead, but North Florida called timeout and regrouped to make it 11-10 with a 7-1 run. UNA held a slight lead until the Ospreys pulled ahead with a late 6-0 run to make it 21-19. Martin had three more kills to make it 23-22, but UNF's Kierstyn McFall assisted on a block and had the final kill to win the point.
SET 4 — UNF 25, UNA 15: Much like the middle two sets, North Florida left very few gaps in the defense during the final set, making it difficult for UNA to find the floor. Despite 14 kills from the Lions, the Ospreys moved ahead with a .457 attack percentage on 17 kills and just one error. Despite the loss, Martin had six kills in the frame on a .545 hit percentage.
COMING UP NEXT
North Alabama is back in CB&S Bank Arena for two more matches, beginning Friday, Nov. 8 at 6 p.m. against Austin Peay. The home finale is set for Sunday, Nov. 10 against Lipscomb at 1 p.m.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
