Jacksonville, Fla. - "So close but yet so far" was the defining phrase of the night for Stetson Volleyball on a team and an individual level Friday night at A-Sun rival North Florida. Freshman setter Kelli Carneal came within one dig of a triple double (24 assists, 10 kills, nine digs) while the Hatters (0-12, 0-6 A-Sun) came within one point of their first win of the season before falling in five sets (26-24, 25-23, 11-25, 10-25, 15-17).
Stetson began the evening auspiciously by breaking their string of 25 consecutive dropped sets with a 26-24 win in the opening stanza. Junior outside hitter Stephanie Canfield (Panama City, Fla.) gave the Hatters their first set win in nearly a month with a solo block. SU used that momentum to race out to an 11-3 lead in the second set. After UNF rallied to go ahead 22-19, Carneal served three straight aces to jumpstart a 6-1 run and put her team up 2-0 in sets.
The Ospreys would not be denied after intermission, however, dominating the third and fourth sets before outlasting the Hatters 17-15 in the winner-take-all fifth set. Stetson had its chances to take the match, going ahead 4-1 and 14-13 in the final set, but UNF came back and closed out the proceedings with a Paige Pridgeon service ace.
Carneal hit .444 and added three aces and two blocks to her near triple double. Canfield led the Hatters with 12 kills, also contributing seven digs, while sophomore outside hitter Kaylee Ream (Venice, Fla.) put up 10 kills and nine digs. Middle blockers Laura Boyd (La Crescenta, Calif.) and Sam Freeman (Gulf Breeze, Fla.) recorded six blocks apiece. Senior libero Anna Becker (McLean, Ill.) led all Hatters with 13 digs.
Kaley Read (23 kills, 11 digs, five blocks), Danielle Lerch (22 kills) and Pridgeon (14 kills, 12 digs, six aces) starred for UNF in the match with support from Julie Fye (43 assists) and Jessica Catelano (20 assists). Nicole Baran and Chelsea Rabe also tied for the Osprey dig lead with 12 each. North Florida improved to 6-6 overall and 2-3 in conference play.
The Hatters conclude their weekend in the River City when they visit Jacksonville tomorrow afternoon. Game time is set for 3:00 p.m. at Swisher Gymnasium; the match will be webcast on A-Sun.TV.
