Coming off of a win over FGCU on Sunday, the UNF volleyball team looked to finish off a sweep of an in-state foe to begin conference play. Though, Monday’s matchup with the FGCU Eagles didn’t go as well.

Things got off to a rough start and would continue that way throughout the match. It was a clean sweep for the Eagles, taking all three sets (25-13, 25-15, 25-14). 

Things didn’t look dire from the beginning, as the Ospreys actually got out to an early lead in the first set. However, FGCU took a lead of 4-3 and never looked back. As the Eagles began to pull away, they never once let up. UNF faced set point down 24-13, with an attack error giving FGCU the first set.

The second set appeared to be off to a better start for UNF, but FGCU quickly seized control once again. A 10-7 lead steadily grew, with the Eagles pulling away. A kill by UNF junior Solimar Cestero cut the deficit to five points, a sliver of hope for the downtrodden Osprey team. This wouldn’t be enough, though, as the Eagles pulled away to close out the second set with a win by a score of 25-15.

Going into the third set, the Ospreys needed a win to remain in contention. The Eagles jumped ahead early again, going up 13-3. Miscommunication on the FGCU side helped slow their rapid pace, but the Ospreys had dug themselves into a hole that was just too deep. A valiant diving effort from UNF sophomore Rocio Moro came up just short, giving FGCU the third set and a 3-0 match win.

It’s safe to say it just wasn’t the Ospreys’ day. After a big win on Sunday, seeing UNF struggle so badly on Monday was quite strange. One could assume the loss in the opening match served as a great inspiration for FGCU. 

Points were hard to come across for UNF, as they couldn’t break past 15 points in a set. This strong defense, in companionship with a strong offensive attack, led to a quick win for the Eagles. FGCU senior Cortney Vanliew led the charge, posting a double-double (16 kills, 11 digs) in the win.

The date and time of the Ospreys’ next home match is currently pending, but they are scheduled to visit Stetson on Feb. 25 and Feb. 26. Follow along with Spinnaker for the latest on UNF Athletics.