JACKSONVILLE, Ala. --- The Jacksonville Dolphins opened the 2026 volleyball season in style, rolling past the Southern Jaguars 3-0 (25-14, 25-14, 25-17) in the opening match of the Gamecock Classic in Jacksonville, Alabama.
The Dolphins have now won four consecutive season openers, including all three under head coach Alicia Manguiat. This is Jacksonville's first sweep in a season-opener since 1994, when JU took down Florida A&M.
Senior
Abbie Tuyo led the way in her Jacksonville debut, scoring a team-high 10 kills while hitting a crisp .625, adding five digs and five blocks along the way. That JU block was the story of the afternoon, with the Dolphins tallying 12 total blocks as a squad.
Preseason ASUN Defensive Player of the Year
Haley Yount was the spearhead, registering a team-high seven blocks. She added six kills on the offensive end as well.
Set One
Jacksonville set the tone in the opening set. JU took the first four points of the set, including a pair of aces from freshman
Jaylyn Tuiasosopo. The Dolphins kept their distance in the first set, with senior
Claire Mrukowski launching a rocket to the corner to give JU the 15-7 lead.
From there, Jacksonville outscored the Jaguars 10-7 to clinch the opening set. Yount put JU on set point with a kill, then a service error gave the first game of the year to the Dolphins.
Set Two
Including Tuyo and Tuiasosopo, six players made their first regular season appearance in JU green. Sophomore
Addison Krieger notched her first career kill, sending a loose ball thundering back over the net.
The Dolphins were rolling in the second set, keeping Southern at arms reach. Freshman setter
Ana Nastase made an impact in her college debut, coming in and hammering a serve for an ace.
A Tuyo ace and Jaguars service error gave JU set two by an identical score to the opener, 25-14.
Set Three
The third, and ultimately final, set of the match started much the same as the first two. The Dolphins took an early lead, 8-3, and looked poised to complete the sweep. Southern battled back, though, pulling the score within two halfway through the set.
Tuiasosopo pushed momentum back in JU's favor, though, launching a back row attack through the Jaguars defense.
The Dolphins led by as many as 10 late in the set, and a block from Krieger and fellow sophomore
Kathryn Adler secured the 25-17 set victory and a season opening win.
Match Notes
- Junior setter Emersen Strain made her JU debut, dishing out a career-high and team-best 17 assists.
- Junior libero Elle Kennedy recorded a career-best 10 digs.
- The Dolphins hit .342 as a team, their fourth match hitting at least .340 since the start of last season.
- Jacksonville recorded eight service aces as a team, led by Tuiasosopo's five.
Up Next
The Dolphins will get the afternoon off before jumping back on the court tonight against the hosting Jacksonville State Gamecocks. First serve is slated for 8 PM ET.
