FLORENCE, Ala. (October 19, 2023) – North Alabama Volleyball returns to CB&S Bank Arena inside Flowers Hall this weekend, as the Lions get ready to host the North Florida Ospreys and Jacksonville Dolphins in a two-match weekend in Atlantic Sun Conference action.
UNA takes on the Ospreys first on Friday, Oct. 20 at 6 p.m. before facing the Dolphins on Sunday, Oct. 22 at 1 p.m.
In their previous two-match weekend from Oct. 13-15, UNA fell to Kennesaw State in four sets before getting back in the win column against Queens in three sets. The win against the Royals snapped a five-match skid for the Lions, and it also ended their six-match roadtrip. The Lions will look to continue momentum in the return home to CB&S Bank Arena inside Flowers Hall, where UNA have been tough to beat with a 5-1 record in home matches.
Tickets can be purchased through the ticket portal on roarlions.com, and live stats will be provided for the match through StatBroadcast. The matches will also be livestreamed on ESPN+.
MATCHUP
Game 1
North Alabama vs. North Florida
Friday, October 20
6 p.m.
Game Notes | Live Stats | Tickets | Watch
Game 2
North Alabama vs. Jacksonville
Sunday, October 22
1 p.m.
Game Notes | Live Stats | Tickets | Watch
NOTES
Newbies vs. the Vets: With the Lions joining the Atlantic Sun Conference in 2018, North Alabama has been in the league longer than five other schools — Austin Peay, Bellarmine, Central Arkansas, EKU and Queens. All five entered the ASUN Conference from 2020-2022, but UNA's matches against North Florida and Jacksonville will see them take on the second and fourth-longest tenured teams in the ASUN. North Florida has been a member of the conference since 2005, while Jacksonville entered the ASUN in 1998.
Meeting History: North Alabama meets North Florida on the court for their 13th meeting in volleyball, while the Lions and Dolphins face off against each other for the seventh time. In the reverse fixture last season, UNA traveled to Jacksonville, Fla. to take on the two teams in early October. In the first match against the Dolphins on Oct. 7, the Lions would claim victory in five sets, and, in almost similar fashion, the Ospreys defeated UNA two days later in five sets on Oct. 9.
Scouting the Ospreys: North Florida (11-11, 4-4 ASUN) begins a four-match road trip with their first stop in Florence. The Ospreys are coming off a two-match weekend where they split four and five-set matches to EKU and Bellarmine. North Florida has averages in the top five of the Atlantic Sun Conference in assists (fourth/11.81), kills (fourth/12.67) and service aces (fifth/1.62) while also doing the same on the defensive side in opponent assists (third/10.85), opponent kills (third/11.46), opponent blocks (third/1.74) and opponent digs (second/12.65). Junior Kailey McKnight leads the way for the Ospreys, as she is third in the ASUN in points with 313.5. The Port St. Lucie native comes into the match with 270 kills on a .230 hitting percentage, 15 assists and 28 service aces, which is tied for first among the top 10 points leaders in the conference. Defensively, she has totals of 177 digs and 25 blocks, good for second and third on the team, respectively. Leading the way for the Ospreys is sixth-year head coach, Kristen Wright.
Scouting the Dolphins: Jacksonville (6-14, 3-5 ASUN) also will start a four-match road trip this weekend, with their second stop coming against the Lions in Florence. Alternating road matches with North Florida, the Dolphins faced Bellarmine and EKU last week, going 1-1 with a five-set loss against the Knights and three-set win against the Colonels. The JU offense ranks in the top five in averages in points (fifth/15.78), hitting perecentage (third/.231), assists (fifth/11.53) and service aces (fourth/1.64); a big part of the offense coming in the form of setter Rebecca Rocassin. The redshirt junior from Delaware, Ohio is currently leading the way in the Atlantic Sun Conference in service ace total and average with 41 and 0.55, respectively, and she also is second in the ASUN in total assists with 721. She also has 33 kills, 153 digs and 37 blocks to her name — her dig and block totals good for second and third on the team. Jacksonville is coached by Maggie Johnson in her fourth season with the Dolphins
Scouting the Lions: The Lions will make their return to CB&S Bank Arena inside Flowers Hall for the next five of six matches after playing on the road in the previous six. In the dual-match weekend, UNA split matches with Kennesaw State and Queens, dropping a four-set match with the Owls before concluding the road trip with a three-set win against the Royals. After the weekend, North Alabama moved up to ninth in the ASUN, with the Lions now sporting a 11-9 record and in a three-way tie for the fourth most wins with Kennesaw State and North Florida. Statistically, UNA rank in the top five in averages in hitting percentage (fifth/.227), service aces (third/1.71), digs (fourth/14.70) and opponent blocks (first/1.58). With the Lions fourth in digs, graduate student libero Luana Bulara holds down the defense from the back line, with her 4.56 digs/set and 287 total digs placing her second and seventh in the ASUN, respectively. Her last game action saw her tie her career-high with 27 digs against Queens.
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