JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Three Northern Kentucky University volleyball players posted double-digit kill performances, but North Florida claimed the victory in a 3-1 decision in Atlantic Sun Conference play on Saturday afternoon.
North Florida got the win by set scores of 25-16, 16-25, 25-21, 27-25, improving to 12-16 overall and 5-7 in A-Sun play. With the loss, NKU falls to 16-10 overall and 5-7 in A-Sun play, putting the Norse in a precarious position for postseason qualification entering the final weekend of the season, which begins at home on Friday against Kennesaw State. First serve from Regents Hall is set for 6:30 p.m.
Tristen Simpson led the way for the Norse with 14 kills on a .324 attack percentage.
Jenna Ruble chipped in with 13 kills and four blocks, and
Keely Creamer had 10 kills on a team-best .368 hitting percentage.
Taylor Snyder picked up her third double-double in the last four matches, going for 38 assists and 12 digs.
Mel Stewart led the defensive effort on the back row with 21 digs, marking her ninth match this season with 20+ digs.
The Ospreys were led by Tessa Alyman, who had 15 kills and a team-high five blocks. Morgan Van Alstine added 13 kills, while Erin Edwards picked up 12 kills. Courtney Miller posted a double-double as well with 10 kills and 10 digs.
The first two sets played out very similarly, though on opposite sides of the net. An early 8-0 run in Set 1 set up a 25-16 win for North Florida, while NKU opened Set 2 on a 9-0 run to cruise to a match-leveling 25-16 win as well. With a slim 9-8 lead in Set 3, North Florida pulled ahead to 14-9 on a 5-1 run, seeing kills from three different players in the rally. The lead held to 19-13 until the Norse pulled within one point with a 6-1 run of their own, but the Ospreys called a timeout and came back with a four-point rally of their own. The Norse came back with two straight kills but ended things on a service error to give UNF the 25-21 win.
NKU opened Set 4 on a 5-1 run and held that lead through most of the final set, but the Ospreys kept it close and chipped away until a 22-20 Norse lead late. UNF called a timeout and came back with three-straight points, including back-to-back kills from Alyman. The Norse answered with a pair of points to force set point, but North Florida found the answer, taking four of the last five points of the match and sealing the victory on an Ambre Desaulnay service ace, one of eight on the day for the Ospreys.
