Box Score
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Eastern Kentucky Won the third set to keep the match alive, but the Colonels couldn't complete the comeback in a 3-1 loss at North Florida on Saturday.
UNF (19-3, 8-2 ASUN) won by scores of 25-19, 25-18, 24-26 and 25-19.
Down 7-5 early in the first set, the Colonels scored five unanswered to move in front by three. A kill from
Anna Purichia and an ace off the serve of
Audrey Eurton made it 10-7. A kill by
Molly Michalak and an ace from
Reilly Lowe later in the set tied it at 19-19 for EKU. North Florida however scored the final six points to take the first set 25-19.
The Ospreys built a 5-point advantage several times in the second set, going up 10-5 and 15-10. A UNF service error and a kill by
Sarah Mitchell allowed Eastern Kentucky to get withing three, 15-12, but that is as close as the Colonels would get.
Neither team led by more than two points in the entire third set. With the set tied 24-24, Michalak registered a kill. Eurton followed with another kill to give EKU a 26-24 win and send the match to a fourth set.
Eastern Kentucky (6-18, 3-7 ASUN) had an early 9-7 lead in the fourth after a kill from Purichia, but the Ospreys answered by scoring seven straight. A kill from Solimar Cestero completed a run that turned a two-point deficit into a five-point lead. EKU battled back and tied it 17-17 on a kill from Purichia. Out of a time out, North Florida scored two straight and led the rest of the way.
Purichia finished with a team-best 10 kills. Lowe had four blocks and seven kills. Eurton posted 30 assists, six kills and seven digs.
UNF hit .230 for the match while holding EKU to a .104 attack percentage.
Dariana Hollingsworth-Santana had a team-best 12 kills for North Florida.
EKU will conclude the ASUN crossover weekend against Kennesaw State on Sunday at 3 p.m.