Box Score

RICHMOND, Ky. – With the help of a career-best 21 kills from AG Vandagriff and the fourth triple-double of the season from Emilee Hill, Eastern Kentucky University overcame a 2-0 deficit to beat North Florida, 3-2, on Sunday at the Rick Erdmann Olympic Sports Training Center.
 
The Colonels (16-7, 7-3 ASUN) won their sixth straight match by scores of 22-25, 22-25, 30-28, 25-23 and 15-13.  All five sets were decided by three points or less.
 
The Ospreys took a 6-3 advantage in the fifth on a block from Yarimar Francis Garay.  EKU scored the next four, taking a 7-6 lead on Cooper Abney's ace.  Hill broke a 9-9 tie with a kill.  Carson Ledford put her team in front 12-10 with a kill.  UNF closed to within one on three occasions, including 14-13 off a kill from Anna Butler.  On the next series, Vandagriff finished it off, 15-13, with a kill.
 
Vandagriff made just four errors in 49 attempts for a .347 attack percentage.  Hill finished with a career-high 14 kills, 33 assists and 16 digs.  The sophomore setter made only two errors in 28 attempts for a .429 attack percentage.
 
Sarah Mitchell and Kambree Lucas added 15 kills each for the winning team.  Both also finished with 10 or more digs with Mitchell coming up with 21 and Lucas totaling 11.
 
Down 2-0 in the match, the Colonels broke a 10-10 tie in the third set on a North Florida service error.  Vandagriff's kill allowed EKU to be the first to 15 at 15-13.  Another service error gave the Colonels a 20-16 advantage.  The Ospreys answered with five straight, taking a 21-20 edge on Amy Burkhardt's kill.  Vandagriff gave EKU set-point, 24-23, with a kill.  The Colonels had five more set-points before Vandagriff ended it, 30-28, with a kill.
 
North Florida (9-16, 5-5 ASUN) scored the first four points of the fourth and went in front 10-4 on Kierstyn McFall's kill.  However, EKU scored the next seven.  A block from Caitlyn Flees and Hill capped the run and swung the lead to the Colonels, 11-10.  A kill from Lucas followed by a UNF attack error put the maroon and white on top 21-19.  Hill's kill made it set-point at 24-22.  Mitchell completed the comeback from a 2-0 deficit with a kill to end the set, 25-23, and tie the match.
 
UNF took a couple of 4-point leads early in the first set, including 9-5 on a kill from Janelly Ceopa.  EKU responded with a 6-2 run to tie it for the first time.  A kill from Lucas made it 11-11.  The Colonels took their first lead, 18-17, on a kill from Ledford.  The home team went in front 20-18 on a kill from Vandagriff, but UNF scored the next three and led 21-20 after Burkhardt's kill.  The Ospreys took the opener, 25-22, on Butler's kill.
 
Vandagriff put EKU out in front by three early in the second before a service error made it 4-2.  From that point on, neither team led by more than two points until Burkhardt gave North Florida a 22-19 lead late in the set.  Butler's kill gave the visitors a 25-22 win in the second set.
 
Burkhardt led all players with 26 kills, finishing with six errors in 62 attempts for a .323 attack percentage.  McFall had 13 kills and five blocks.
 
The Ospreys out-blocked the Colonels 10-5, but UNF made five more service errors than the home team.
 
EKU will set out for a 2-match ASUN road trip next weekend.  The Colonels will play at Austin Peay on Friday at 7 p.m. and face Lipscomb on Saturday at 5 p.m.