Jacksonville University

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. --- The first edition of the River City Rumble in 2026 was a thriller, with the Jacksonville Dolphins falling in five sets (16-25, 25-14, 25-11, 18-25, 12-15) to the North Florida Ospreys.

JU (6-8, 0-1 ASUN) was led by graduate student Abbie Tuyo. She was the lone Dolphin in double figures, recording 16 kills while hitting a clean .351. Freshman setter Ana Nastase did everything on the stat sheet, tallying a team-best 25 assists while adding nine kills, seven service aces and six digs.

Set One
North Florida took control of the opening set early with a 7-2 run. Senior Claire Mrukowski, playing in her first match since Sept. 13, was hot early wiht three kills in the first set. 

Despite the senior's strong showing and three service aces, the Dolphins couldn't find their groove en route to dropping the first set.

Set Two
Any bad momentum that plagued Jacksonville in the first vanished in the second set. After trading early points, the Dolphins poured it on in the middle of the game. A service error from Nastase made it a one-point game, then Jacksonville took 11 of the next 13 points to blow the set away.

Nastase led the way with her hitting in the second, scoring a team-best four kills. The introduction of senior setter Jade Cuya Cobos gave the Dolphins a different look, as she notched 12 assists and two aces during the second. 

Junior Haley Yount and Nastase combined to send back a shot to put the Dolphins on set point. Then Cuya Cobos assisted her fellow setter Nastase who hammered home the winning kill to tie the match at one set apiece.

Set Three
The third set was even more dominant than the second for JU. An early Nastase service run, that included two aces and assists to Mrukowski and fellow freshman Jaylyn Tuiasosopo, put Jacksonville up 13-5.

Kills from sophomore Addison Krieger and Nastase had the Dolphins double up their crosstown foes, 20-10. Krieger put the 'Phins on set point, then it was Tuiasosopo who powered home the winning kill to give JU control of the match.

Set Four
The two sides traded the first 24 points of the set, serving an early 12-12 tie. UNF pulled into pole position from their, taking the next six points. The Dolphins couldn't close the gap the rest of the way as the Ospreys forced a tiebreaking fifth set.

Set Five
In the fifth and final set, Jacksonville got strong contributions from Tuyo (three kills) and Nastase (four kills, four assists), but North Florida controlled the scoreboard to close out the set and the match.

Match Notes

• Tuyo has double-digit kills in six of her last seven matches. She's averaged at least three kills per set in eight of her last 10.
• Nastase set a new career high with nine kills. Her 25 assists are the second-most in her career, while her seven aces ties a career best.
• The Dolphins tallied a season-high 16 service aces as a team. JU have had double-digit aces in five matches this season.
• Jacksonville finished with just 11 hitting errors (2.2 per set), its fewest in a five-set match since Sept. 1, 2023 against The Citadel.

Up Next
The Dolphins embark on a five-match, two-week road trip as conference play roars into full swing. JU opens with the Bellarmine Knights Friday, Oct. 2 at 6 PM.