JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville Beach Volleyball faced a tough stretch of matches at the North Florida Invite, competing against strong opponents like #17 North Florida and Mercer. Despite their best efforts, the Dolphins came up short in all four duals, losing 0-5 to North Florida on both days and falling 2-3 in closely contested matches against Mercer.
Day One: Dolphins Face #17 North Florida and Mercer
On Day One, Jacksonville opened the tournament with a 0-5 loss to #17 North Florida at 12:00 PM. The Dolphins struggled in all five matches as North Florida dominated with straight-set victories across the board. On Court 1, Presley Murray and Mackenzie Murphy defeated Emily Kubicsko and Claire Mrukowski 21-13, 21-6. Mariana Sanchez and Madison Espy took down Kristina Nika and Hayden Garnett 21-13, 21-7 on Court 2. Cameron Humphries and Taylor Pierce won in straight sets against Katie Martinez and Morgan Perry, 21-17, 21-13, on Court 3. Andrea Silva and Hayden Wooldridge claimed a 21-11, 21-12 victory over Meredith Mrukowski and Kate Taylor on Court 4. Emily Guenter and Anne Marie Hardouin clinched the win for North Florida with a 23-21, 21-9 result over Miller Reames and Kelly Erhard on Court 5. In the extended match, Eden Anderson and Sophia Notaro won 21-13, 21-15 over Amanda Cunningham and Kyelynn Swink.
Later that afternoon, Jacksonville faced Mercer at 2:00 PM and lost 2-3 in a close contest. Emily Kubicsko and Claire Mrukowski won the opening match on Court 1 with a 21-17, 21-16 victory. Kristina Nika and Hayden Garnett followed with a 23-21, 15-21, 15-13 win on Court 2. However, Katie Martinez and Meredith Mrukowski lost 19-21, 21-15, 15-13 on Court 3, and Kate Taylor and Morgan Perry were defeated 21-12, 21-14 on Court 4. Kelly Erhard and Miller Reames also fell 21-16, 21-13 on Court 5, giving Mercer the team win.
Day Two: Jacksonville Battles Mercer Again and Faces North Florida
On Day Two, Jacksonville faced Mercer again at 10:00 AM, losing 2-3 in another close match. Kubicsko and Mrukowski won again on Court 1, securing a 22-20, 21-15 win. Nika and Garnett also won on Court 3, defeating Kate Hardie and Sydney Benson 21-13, 21-16. Unfortunately, Martinez and Mrukowski lost 21-14, 19-21, 15-8 on Court 2, and Taylor and Perry fell 21-18, 21-16 on Court 4. Erhard and Reames were defeated 21-18, 21-12 on Court 5, giving Mercer another team win. In extended play, Amanda Cunningham and Kyelynn Swink triumphed 21-17, 21-16, but it wasn't enough to secure the team victory for Jacksonville.
Later that afternoon, Jacksonville once again faced #17 North Florida at 2:00 PM, suffering a 0-5 loss. Presley Murray and Mackenzie Murphy defeated Meredith Mrukowski and Katie Martinez 21-14, 21-19 on Court 1. Mariana Sanchez and Madison Espy overcame Kubicsko and Mrukowski 21-13, 21-13 on Court 2. On Court 3, Cameron Humphries and Taylor Pierce won 17-21, 21-14, 15-8 against Nika and Garnett. Andrea Silva and Hayden Wooldridge claimed a 21-14, 21-11 victory over Perry and Taylor on Court 4. Anne Marie Hardouin and Sophia Notaro won 21-10, 21-16 on Court 5 against Cunningham and Swink. In the extended match, Emily Guenter and Eden Anderson defeated Alize Lemieux and Gabby Conway 21-13, 21-8.
