In a hard-fought battle, the No. 3 seed Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) fell to the No. 6 seed University of North Florida (UNF) with a final score of 3-1 in the opening round of the 2023 Atlantic Sun Conference Volleyball Tournament in Fort Myers, Florida.
Despite a resilient effort, the Colonels (21-8) faced tough competition from the Ospreys (17-14) in a closely contested match. Sarah Mitchell led EKU with a team-best 16 kills, displaying a .293 attack percentage and contributing three blocks. Katie McKune added 12 kills, a .290 hitting percentage, and three blocks, while Josie Schmitendorf’s impressive performance saw her leading all players with 29 digs.
EKU had opportunities, holding set-point in two of the three sets that the Ospreys secured.
In the first set, a late kill from McKune gave EKU a 3-point lead at 20-17. However, North Florida rallied, tying the set at 21-21 on an attack error. Despite a set-point opportunity at 24-23 after a kill from Madi Tolzman, UNF scored the next three points to claim the opener 26-24.
The second set saw the Ospreys taking control with a 5-1 run after a kill from AG Vandagriff got EKU within one at 11-10. McKnight’s kill extended UNF’s lead to 16-11, and the set concluded with a score of 25-18, putting the lower seed up 2-0.
EKU fought back in the third set, trailing by as many as five before a comeback. Kills from Carson Ledford and Kambree Lucas tied it at 17-17. Vandagriff’s kill gave EKU a 21-20 lead, and with the score tied at 25-25, Schmitendorf’s ace and McKune’s kill secured the set 27-25, keeping the Colonels alive.
The fourth set remained fiercely competitive, with neither team leading by more than two points. Despite McKune’s kill giving EKU a set-point at 24-23, UNF responded with McKnight’s kill to tie it. The Ospreys claimed the final two points, winning the set 26-24 and securing the match victory.
McKnight and White led the charge for North Florida with 20 kills each. White displayed remarkable efficiency, making just two errors and achieving a .429 attack percentage for the match.
While the Colonels finished with four more kills than UNF (62-58), they faced challenges with seven more attack errors. EKU posted a .205 hitting percentage, while the Ospreys fashioned a .219 attack percentage. UNF dominated at the net, out-blocking the Colonels 15-9, and capitalized on nine points from EKU service errors.
Despite the tournament setback, EKU remains proud of their impressive season and looks ahead to future opportunities for success.
