The University of North Florida women’s volleyball team secured a playoff spot with back-to-back victories, sweeping the University of West Georgia on Nov. 8 and Queens on Nov. 9. The two wins boosted UNF’s record to 8-6 in Atlantic Sun conference play.
Game 1: North Florida vs.West Georgia
The Ospreys were off to a good start, courtesy of multiple aces from senior outside hitter Amy Burkhardt during the first set. The Ospreys maintained the lead for the remainder of the set, which lasted just 19 minutes and finished with a score of 25-10.
The second set was closer, with the Wolves and the Ospreys trading points back and forth. While the Ospreys grabbed seven unanswered points to take an 8-4 lead, UWG responded back with six unanswered points of their own, taking a 19-18 lead late into the set.
Neither team was able to gain an upper hand until UNF middle blocker Jaqueline Arrington finished off the longest rally of the game to tie the set at 19 points. UNF carried the momentum to a 25-22 second-set win.
The Ospreys comfortably won the third set 25-17, with only one lead change the whole set. Another seven aces in the last frame made the difference and the Ospreys won the match in straight sets, punching their ticket to the ASUN playoffs.
Osprey head coach Kristen Wright mentioned how impressed she was with the team’s improvement in serves throughout the season.
“The improvement is what I’m proud of. We [had to] take inventory of where we were at compared to the league and just build some confidence,” Wright said.
Burkhardt was the match’s star, as her serve proved too difficult for the Wolves to handle. She finished with 9 aces, 14 kills and 11 digs. Annie Antar was the heartbeat of North Florida’s offense, picking up 30 assists and her 10th double-double of the season. Mackenzie Piester and Arrington would pick up 8 and 7 kills, respectively. The Ospreys set a DI-era record of 17 for most aces in a match.
Game 2: North Florida vs. Queens (NC)
During senior night festivities, middle blockers Arrington and Kyla Solis, outside hitters Rylee Moorhead, Anna Butler and Burkhardt, and setter Jexsamarie Perez were honored pre-game.
The Ospreys and Royals got off to an even start, going toe-to-toe until the blocking duo of Arrington and junior Piester began to exert defensive pressure. The Ospreys rode that momentum to a 25-18 win in the first set.
In the second set, the same duo proved to be a nuisance for Queen’s attackers with their blocking skills, with Arrington leading the Ospreys with four blocks. Senior Kyla Solis helped the Ospreys get to set point with her serves, before the Ospreys finished off the set by a score of 25-17.
After starting the third set down 0-2, the Ospreys put up five unanswered points, and maintained a lead of at least three points for the rest of the set. With the Ospreys leading 17-12, the two sides squared off in the longest rally of the night, a rally that was finished off with a Burkhardt kill. The set ended on a kill from Arrington, assisted by junior setter Antar, for a final score of 25-20.
Piester led the Ospreys with 13 kills on the night. Antar led the team in assists with 40, and Solis led UNF with 4 aces, a career-high.
Up Next
With the win, UNF ensured at least a seventh-seed in the league tournament and a finish of at least .500 or better in the league for the fifth straight year under head coach Kristen Wright.
“Last year, we were 2 match points shy of going into the championship. And that’s where we want to be,” said Wright, who notched her 100th career win as the Osprey’s head coach on Nov. 3 against North Alabama. “We want to be in that championship match, and we want to win and put up that first D1 banner.”
Before they get that chance, the Ospreys must first finish out the regular season with a two-game road trip, starting with a stern test against the ASUN-leading Florida Gulf Coast University Eagles in Ft. Myers on Thursday, Nov.14.
