The volleyball team highlighted a busy week of athletics at the University of North Florida (UNF), taking home a win after competing in the Hawkeye Invitational in Iowa.

The weekend didn’t get off to a great start for the Ospreys, dropping their first two matches to Northern Iowa and Iowa in a pair of 3-0 sweeps. The squad displayed resilience, though, bouncing back in their final match on Saturday. 

The Ospreys squared off with the South Dakota State Jackrabbits, a battle of unique mascots. UNF started out strong, taking the first two sets 25-17 and 25-19 respectively. With their backs against the wall, the Jackrabbits fought back to even the match at two sets a piece. In the decisive match, the Ospreys won 15-9 to secure the match win.

“It’s all about getting better every single week,” head coach Kristen Wright said. “This team does not quit.”

It’s been rough early on for UNF volleyball, but a win this weekend can help the Ospreys turn things around as they enter conference play this upcoming weekend. They face Florida Gulf Coast on Friday and Stetson on Saturday on the campus of Jacksonville University (JU). 

In the world of soccer, this past week wasn’t too kind to the Ospreys. Despite having chance after chance, the men’s squad fell to Georgia Southern 1-0 on Tuesday. They took to the field again on Saturday, losing to Stetson 2-0. They now sit at 0-6, certainly not how they would have liked to start the 2022 campaign.

The women’s squad has had slightly more success this season, but couldn’t get a result on the road Sunday in the River City Rumble. They fell to the Jacksonville Dolphins 1-0, closing out the week in the world of the Ospreys.

As mentioned, volleyball will play in the Jacksonville area this weekend for the first time this season. Due to construction on UNF Arena, the matches will take place at JU’s Swisher Gymnasium, located 10 miles from UNF’s campus. 

UNF soccer squads will also be back in action, playing two games each. These will all be on the road, though, so the Ospreys will have to be on top of their game to pick up some wins.

Records during non-conference play are not the end of the world. They may not look great on paper, but these losses to quality squads outside of the Atlantic Sun conference prepare UNF’s teams for what’s to come. Make sure to stay tuned to All Things Osprey for everything you need to know about the blue and gray!

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