The Ospreys hit the road this weekend, with a sweep of the Liberty Flames on Friday serving as the trip’s bright spot.

The 2021 season has been one for the books so far, but UNF is still in the thick of conference play. Their most recent challenge came in the form of a weekend trip to face Liberty on Friday and Kennesaw State on Sunday.

Lynchburg, Va. was the scene of Friday’s match, as the Ospreys took on the Flames. The match began with a couple of tight sets, both taken by UNF. 

The third set saw UNF run away with things, taking a 25-14 set win. This gave them the match win, a quick 3-0 sweep to start off the weekend. Dariana Hollingsworth-Santana continued her dominant ways, leading the team in kills.

While this was a great start to the weekend, there was still work to be done. The Ospreys flocked back down south to Kennesaw, Ga. to take on the Kennesaw State Owls. 

The Owls entered the match with a record of just above .500, but they gave the Ospreys all they could handle. Sunday afternoon’s contest began positively, with UNF taking the opening set 25-21. 

This would be the last win of the weekend for the Ospreys, though. The Owls turned a corner, dominating the second set 25-15. The third set was closer, but the Owls prevailed to go up two sets to one.

With their backs against the wall, the Ospreys entered the fourth set needing a win. The duel was as dramatic as could be, going far past the standard 25-point format. However, Kennesaw State eked out a 33-31 win to take the overall match win.

KSU dominated the stat sheet when it came to aces and blocks, having three times more than UNF in each category. KSU’s Lauren Chastang was a driving force, leading the team in kills (18) and digs (12). 

The Ospreys now sit at 17-3, with more competition on the way. UNF will host an ASUN crossover this upcoming weekend, as six teams from the conference will play at UNF Arena from Friday through Sunday.

The Ospreys will face Bellarmine on Friday, Oct. 22. Following this is Eastern Kentucky on Saturday, Oct. 23. and defending ASUN champions Lipscomb on Sunday, Oct. 24. All three matches begin at 7 p.m., with students receiving free admission.

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