JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (September 28, 2024) – The University of North Alabama volleyball team earned its seventh win of the season Saturday afternoon in a 3-0 triumph over Jacksonville from Swisher Gymnasium.

The Lions win their third-straight match to improve to 7-8 overall and 1-1 in the ASUN. Jacksonville moves to 5-8 overall with the Dolphins taking their first conference loss of the season.

UNA had its most efficient attacking performance of the season, registering a .354 team attack percentage to sweep the Dolphins for its third-straight win. The Lions also extended their winning ways over Jacksonville with a fourth-straight win over the Dolphins.

North Alabama's offense got started early, jumping out to a 5-1 lead. The Lions maintained the advantage up until the 14-9 mark, when the Dolphins went on a 7-2 run to tie the set at 16-16. The teams remained even as the set came to a close, but a late 4-1 run with UNA leading 21-20 gave the Lions the first set win, 25-21. Five kills each from senior Brenna Tietz and freshman Reese Ricketts paced the offense to open the set, along with 10 early assists from senior Elif Ozsoy.

The second set proved the most competitive with neither team able to get much breathing room in the frame. UNA's largest lead of the set was three at the 12-9 scoremark, but the Dolphins kept battling with the teams eventually playing to a win-by-two situation. Jacksonville staved off set point to tie the frame at 24 with a key kill, but Ricketts' made back-to-back plays with a kill and service ace to take a 26-24 set win.

It was all UNA in the third set, as the offense played its most efficient set in the final frame. The Lions finished the set with 15 kills and only one error, hitting at a .483 attack percentage. Six Lions contributed at least two kills, with Tietz leading with four on a .571 hitting percentage. The defense also stepped up with five blocks in the set as Tietz, Ricketts, sophomore Nicole Sargent and freshman Autumn Holmes made it difficult for the Dolphins' attack. North Alabama's lead was as high as 11 in the set, with the Lions eventually seeing the set out with a 25-14 win to complete the sweep.

The duo of Tietz and Ricketts led in kills securing 13 and 12 respectively. Tietz also proved efficient on the attack with a .435 hitting percentage, a match-high on a minimum of 12 attempts. Graduate Jasmine Brooks registered the third-most kills with seven, with six Lions finishing with at least four kills.

Ozsoy secured 32 assists and two service aces to lead all competitors. The Ankara, Turkey native has now finished with at least 32 assists in five of her last six contests. She also tied freshman Audrey Small for the team high in digs with seven each. Sargent was the leader for the Lions in blocks with three – her fifth-straight match securing the block total.

The Lions returns home to Florence for a two-match week, starting on Friday, Oct. 4 versus EKU. First serve from CB&S Bank Arena is at 6 p.m.

For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram