Women’s basketball sputters with two straight loses

The UNF women’s basketball team (8-14, 5-6) is headed back to Jacksonville following four straight road games for a two-game home stand.

The team went 2-2 on its four-game road swing over the past two weeks. When UNF returns, it will play against Florida Gulf Coast University Feb. 2 and Stetson University Feb. 4.

After sweeping the state of Georgia with their defeats of Kennesaw State and Mercer two weeks ago, the Ospreys weren’t as dominant in the state of Tennessee. With matches at Belmont and Lipscomb wrapping up the four-game road trip, the Ospreys had an opportunity to win four consecutive road games. Unfortunately for UNF, that didn’t happen.

For the fourth time this season, the Ospreys were held to under 40 points when they lost 35-57 to the Belmont Bruins Jan. 26. Two days later, the Ospreys had a chance to rid their minds of the loss with a game at Lipscomb Jan. 28. However, that losing taste stayed with UNF as the Lipscomb Bison managed to scrape out a 73-64 victory, despite four Ospreys recording double-digit points.

The next two games will pit UNF against the No. 1 and 2 teams in the Atlantic Sun Conference. Four of seven remaining games are at the UNF arena, giving the Ospreys an opportunity to gain some ground in the A-Sun race, as they currently sit in fifth place in the standings.

Lacrosse looks ahead in attempt to get first win

The UNF men’s lacrosse team will look to bounce back Feb. 11 against Savannah College of Art and Design after the team lost its first two games of the season.

UNF began its season Jan. 28 by losing in a blowout to the University of Central Florida Knights, 32-6. The Ospreys followed the embarrassing loss Jan. 29 with a stronger effort, but the team still lost 11-6 to the University of South Florida Bulls. Despite outscoring the Bulls 2-1 in the second half, the Ospreys were unable to mount a comeback.

A 0-2 start is not what the Ospreys were hoping for, but Coach Peterson told the team following the disappointing weekend that he was encouraged by the effort the Ospreys put forth. As a young squad, with only four seniors, the Ospreys know they will have some learning curves.

Although the outcomes were bleak, there were a few positives this weekend. Sophomore
Attacker Pat Thomas netted two goals against USF and one against UCF while providing leadership to the offense. Senior midfielders Kyle Nelson and Chase Spanos each had a goal and an assist apiece against USF.

Nelson summed the weekend up simply. “Penalties and missed opportunities continued to haunt us throughout the game. Hopefully we can overcome them in our next game against S.C.A.D,” Nelson said.

Zach Morgan, Contributing Writer

Email Zach Morgan at [email protected].

UNF Wrestling places 10th in National Duals in Georgia

The UNF Wrestling club placed 10th out of 24 teams in the NCWA National Dual Meet Wrestling Championship Tournament Jan. 27-28 in Dalton, Ga.
In the first round, the 12th-seeded Ospreys defeated the 21st-seeded University of Georgia (UGA). The Ospreys lost decisively in the next two rounds to the third place team, University of Maryland, Baltimore County and then to the fourth place team, Grand Valley State University.

In the consolation round, the Ospreys would bounce back to beat the 13th-seeded Massachusetts Institute of Technology and eighth-seeded Georgia Southern University.
In the team’s final match, it couldn’t pull out a victory for ninth place against Marion Military Institute and had to settle for 10th for the weekend.

The Ospreys will travel to Athens, Ga. for the next meet, the Classic City Tournament, hosted by UGA Feb. 4.

UNF track and field teams win 12 golds at Embry-Riddle Challenge

The UNF men’s and women’s track and field teams will enter their next competition Feb. 17 on a runner’s high.

The Ospreys dominated the Embry-Riddle Challenge, their last meet before the Atlantic Sun Indoor Championships in Johnson City, Tennessee.

Outclassing opponents in the longer races, the Osprey track and field teams placed first in 12 out of 39 events Jan. 28 at the Embry-Riddle Challenge in Daytona Beach, Fla.

The women’s team earned seven of the gold medals. Senior Erin Nixon took first in the 800m (2:19.15) and 1000m (2:57.61) races and has won all four of her events this year.

Freshman Elle Baker earned the first victory of her college career. Her 5:08.74 beat junior Meggie Emons (5:13.96) in the women’s mile event. Emons would not be denied a gold medal, though, winning the 5000m with a time of 18:20.82.

Junior Christina King took first in the pole vault (3.65 m), while posting her best height of the year. Winning the triple jump with 11.47m, sophomore Brianna Frazier won her second event of the year. Junior Jaybria Calcote also took first in the 600m. It was her first time competing in the event.

The men’s team was successful as well, with sophomore Sean White taking gold medals in the 800m (1:58.90) and the 1000m (2:33.72). Senior Cameron Dickerson finished a nudge ahead of junior James Post in the 600m. Post’s 1:20.91 was just shy of Dickerson’s 1:20.59.

Sophomore David Shepherd broke his school record for the second time this season in the pole vault event, taking first with a mark of 5.05m. The 4×800 relay team of Dickerson, Post, Taylor Sumagpang and Evan Rosenberg won a gold medal (7:49.29).

Both teams will be attempting to better their finishes from last year. The women’s team finished in second place, behind blowout winner Jacksonville University, and the men’s team finished in fifth place, just behind USC Upstate.

Jordan Harirchi, Assistant Sports Editor

Email Jordan Harirchi at [email protected].

Rugby attempts to continue strong play after hard-fought win

The UNF rugby team is traveling south this upcoming weekend as they play two south Florida teams.

The Ospreys will play the University of Miami Feb. 4, followed by a face-off with Florida Gulf Coast University Feb. 5.

The Deadbirds played their first conference game as a Division III team Jan. 28 against Eckerd University. The team dominated the Tritons, coming away with a 19-7 win at home.

UNF started strong, scoring 12 unanswered points in the first half. Eckerd eventually scored in the second half after gaining a man advantage over UNF after one of the Deadbirds was ejected for stomping on a player. Later, the referee explained he removed the player to send a message to everyone else. UNF’s Trace Horevitz scored a try for UNF late in the game to make it a 19-7 game.

The Deadbirds will fight for their first-ever Division III national championship and will have to overcome a lack of financial and school support that other teams in the country have.

Lacrosse and rugby photos by Andrew Noble.

Josh Brannock, Sports Editor

Email Josh Brannock at [email protected].
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