JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Rebounding from a 2-0 start, the Jacksonville University volleyball team forced a fifth set in part one of the River City Rumble, but the Dolphins ultimately fell to crosstown rival North Florida, 3-2, Sunday afternoon at Historic Swisher Gymnasium.
Four players posted double-digit kills for the Dolphins (7-13, 3-3 ASUN) – including a double-double from senior
Mallory Mattingly – and three of the four hit .375 or above to lead Jacksonville's offense. Mattingly finished the day with 12 kills, 17 digs, and five blocks, while juniors
Bailey Foy (11 kills, 9 digs, 5 aces, 4 blocks) and
Briana Kipp (7 kills), and freshmen
Sydney Bolding (15 kills, 4 blocks) hit .375, .462, and .609, respectively. Freshman
Lexi Wierzbicki also recorded a team-high 15 kills in the effort. Mattingly was named
Hodges Mazda Player of the Game following the match.
North Florida (7-12, 2-4 ASUN) gutted out a 26-24 win in the opener and a 25-21 decision in the second set to take an early advantage. The Dolphins however, would not go down without a fight. Jacksonville jumped on the Ospreys from the start of the third set, hitting .452 and holding the visitors to just a .156 hit percentage. A pair of 5-0 runs, highlighted by a pair of service aces from Foy, easily lifted Jacksonville to a 25-13 win.
Continuing to build its momentum into the fourth, Jacksonville held UNF to hit just .051 and doubled down with five total blocks against the Osprey offense. Bolding recorded three of her four blocks in the set, while Kipp and Mattingly chipped in two block assists each as the Dolphins tied the match, 25-16.
The Dolphins erased a four-point opening lead by the Ospreys and used a 5-0 rally to come within two, 11-9 in the fifth and final set. UNF edged out three of the last four points to steal the match, 15-11.
Sophomore
Natalie Martin totaled a match-high 55 assists, while senior
Natalie Wehner finished the day with 21 digs.
Solimar Cestero led North Florida with 19 kills, while Rocio Moro paced the team with a match-high 29 digs.
The Dolphins hit the road next weekend for matchups at Lipscomb (Oct. 18) and Kennesaw State (Oct. 19).
