CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (October 12, 2024) – The University of North Alabama volleyball team used a second-half rally to take a five-set, 3-2 road battle against the Austin Peay Governors from Clarksville, Tenn.
Playing in their second matchup in less than 24 hours, the Lions were in for a battle against the Governors. Austin Peay had a fast start to the contest, using a team effort to take the first two sets of the match. North Alabama found its rhythm midway through the match, responding with two-straight set wins of its own to set up a second-straight extras match. UNA saved its best for last, using efficient offense to complete the rally in Clarksville.
The UNA offense came alive when it needed to the most, bouncing back from hitting percentages of .175 and .077 in the first and second set to .276 in a key third set. The offense continued to improve to a .293 hitting percentage in set four and finished the night with a .350 hitting percentage in the deciding set.
Freshman Reese Ricketts continues her dominant run of form, following up her program-record performance at Lipscomb with her second-straight 22-kill performance. The freshman broke North Alabama's Division I program record of single-match kills against the Bisons, surpassing the previous record of 21 kills by Jasmine Brooks against Little Rock earlier this season and senior Katy Floyd in 2021.
Ricketts, Brooks and senior Brenna Tietz led the way in kills, with Ricketts leading the way followed by 13 and 10 kills for Brooks and Tietz, respectively. Ozsoy totaled a match-high 44 assists and registered her six match of over 40 assists in the past seven matches.
North Alabama moves into the double-digits in total wins, improving to 10-9 with a 4-2 record in the Atlantic Sun Conference. Austin Peay's record stands at 1-16 with the Governors still searching for its first conference win.
Opening the match, UNA started with the momentum early. The Lions took the early lead and maintained their advantage throughout the majority of the set. A key 7-3 run by the Governors turned a 18-14 deficit to a tie set at 21, and the two teams continued to alternate points into extras. North Alabama fended off three set points, but the fourth proved enough for Austin Peay to take the first set, 28-26.
The second set began much like the first, with the Lions setting the tone early with a 7-2 opening run. The Governors responded with a run of their own, going on a big 12-3 run to take a 14-10 lead. The spark for Austin Peay proved huge throughout the set, leading to the Governors taking a 25-19 second-set win.
Austin Peay took the first points of the third set, but the Lions' offense improved to give UNA its first set win of the match. An early 4-1 run set up a battle in the third, with the offense leaning on kills from Brooks (4), Ricketts (3), senior Elif Ozsoy (2) and sophomore Nicole Sargent (2). North Alabama also got a boost from the service line thanks to three service aces from freshman Audrey Small. The Lions took the third set, 25-20.
Set four began with Austin Peay taking the advantage early, but North Alabama's offense continued rolling en route to a key set win. The Governors had a 5-2 advantage in the set, but an 8-2 run from UNA gave them a 10-7 lead. The offense came alive with an 8-3 responding run to increase their advantage to a 18-10 lead, seeing the set out with a decisive 25-18 fourth-set win.
North Alabama played its most efficient set in the fifth, using eight kills on a .350 hitting percentage to pace the offense. The difference came down to turnovers and the service line, as the Lions committed only one error to the Governors three with two service aces to Austin Peay's' one. Kills from Brooks (4), Ricketts (3) and sophomore Meredith Brown (1) also proved crucial as the Lions completed the comeback off a five-set thriller. UNA wins the final set by a score of 15-11.
Small had the most digs and service aces, registering 16 digs to go with four aces – tying her career high. Sargent and Tietz rounds out the UNA leaders with a match-high five blocks.
The Lions' roadtrip continues in Florida next time out, taking on FGCU and Stetson respectively in road ASUN matchups. UNA first faces the Eagles on Oct. 18, with first serve scheduled for 5 p.m.
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