FLORENCE, Ala. (November 2, 2025) – The University of North Alabama volleyball team honored seniors Hayley Martin and Jolana Smidlova with a special Senior Day ceremony on Sunday, but the Lions were defeated in five sets Sunday afternoon against the North Florida Ospreys in CB&S Bank Arena.

North Alabama (12-13, 6-6 ASUN) played a back-and-forth and competitive affair with each frame determined by three or less points. Both teams traded set wins through four, but the Ospreys (10-15, 4-8 ASUN) prevailed in the final to take the road win.

Junior Kendall Barnes and sophomore Reese Ricketts led the match with 15 kills each. Sophomore Dylann Garner was also formidable on the attack was 14 kills.

Sophomore Kinslee McGowan totaled 45 assists, and junior Olivia Fenoff shared the team-high two service aces with Barnes. Junior Nicole Sargent registered four blocks to lead the team.

Junior Ava Martindale rounded out UNA's leaders with a career-high 29 digs.

The competitive match began in set one with the Lions striking first. North Alabama never trailed in the frame, coming out the gates strong from the service line. UNA had four service aces in set one led by two from Barnes and one each from Ricketts and Martindale. The Lions led 24-13 when the Ospreys mounted a 10-0 run to cut UNA's lead to 24-23. Ricketts ended the run with a kill for the 25-23 win.

The Ospreys evened the score using the strength of their offense. North Florida tallied 16 kills in second frame en route to a narrow 25-22 win.

UNA's trio of Garner, Ricketts and Barnes led the way in set three to give the Lions a 2-1 advantage. The three combined for 13 of the team's 16 kills in the frame, taking another close victory over the Ospreys. North Florida led 21-18 late when a 6-2 UNA run shifted momentum in the Lions favor at 24-22. North Alabama held on take the frame, 25-23. Garner had the clinching kill on a set from McGowan.

Both teams had a solid set-four performance, but North Florida used a late run to send it to a fifth frame. The Lions and Ospreys both tallied 17 kills, with the set needing to be won by two to determine a victor. North Alabama led 23-21 late when North Florida tied the set at 24. The teams exchanged points to tie the match at 25 when two-straight scores from the Ospreys sent the match to a fifth.

North Alabama jumped out to a 6-3 lead in set five when North Florida's 5-2 run tied it back at 8-8. The Ospreys had a key 4-0 run after that, taking the lead at 12-8 and eventually the 15-12 win.

The Lions begin a stretch of four-straight road bouts to end the regular season, beginning on Friday, Nov. 7. North Alabama travels to Nashville, Tenn. to face Lipscomb with first serve scheduled for 6 p.m.

For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.