JACKSONVILLE, Fla. --- The Jacksonville volleyball team fell to the North Florida Ospreys, 3-1, Thursday evening at UNF Arena. The Dolphins were led by graduate student Madi Novak, who finished with 16 kills to go along with five blocks and six digs.

How It Happened
Set 1
Novak raced off three early kills as the Dolphins took a dominant 8-1 lead early in the opening set. The Ospreys pulled within two, 15-13, but Jacksonville stayed on the front foot in the first stanza. 

Another Novak kill and three UNF errors put JU two points from first set glory. Novak notched her fifth of the set, and sophomore Haley Yount closed it out with a towering kill to take the first, 25-19.

Set 2
Little could separate the sides in the second set until UNF pulled ahead 18-13. The Ospreys got to 20 first, but a kill and a block from Yount pulled JU within three, 20-17. North Florida would take care of the final points, however, winning 25-19.

Set 3
The Dolphins played well for much of the third set, with junior Rebekah Williams pacing the 'Phins with five kills. However, the hosting Ospreys found a late gear to win the set, 26-24.

Set 4
Facing a 2-1 deficit on the match, Jacksonville played its tightest set of the night. The Ospreys took a 6-3 lead before Yount and Williams tied the set. Neither team would lead by more than two until a pair of aces by senior Kristina Nika put the Dolphins up 18-14.

North Florida answered with a 4-0 run, setting the stage for a frantic back-and-forth finish. The Ospreys took a 22-21 lead, but Yount and Novak's block landed softly on the UNF side of the court to tie the set.

After a free ball, the Dolphins teed up Novak for a missile to the back left corner of the court to pull within two of forcing a deciding set. North Florida answered with a marathon point to tie the set at 23.

Yount's ninth kill of the night rattled off the body of a UNF defender to put JU on set point, but the Ospreys once again had an answer. After UNF reached set point of its own, freshman Kathryn Adler came in with a clutch kill to tie the match at 25.

Williams hit her next ball off the North Florida kill and into the scorer's table to put JU on set point. The marathon of a fourth set finally came to a close, with Adler and junior Alijah Heins rising over the net to block back a shot and send the match to a tiebreak.

Set 5
The deciding set was another marathon, with the Dolphins pulling ahead to set point multiple times. The Ospreys closed it out, though, winning 18-16 in the tiebreak fifth set. 

Match Notes

• Yount totaled nine kills on 14 attempts, her eighth match hitting .600 or better this season.
• Nika finished with 24 digs, a new season high and one-shy of her career best mark.
• Adler smashed her career best for kills, finishing with six kills on an .857 hitting percentage. She also recorded the first two block assists of her career.

Up Next
The Dolphins will venture west for a heavyweight conference showdown against the Central Arkansas Sugar Bears. First serve is slated for Saturday at 12 PM ET. The match will be streamed on ESPN+.