2024-10-01 18:45:03
JACKSONVILLE, FL — The Jacksonville Volleyball team took care of business in three sets (25-19, 25-22, 25-23) to defeat North Florida on Sunday evening on the road at UNF Arena. The win was the Dolphins first road victory at UNF since 2017 and the first road sweep in program history against their cross-town rivals.
It is important to note that while this marks the Dolphins’ first official road sweep, they previously swept UNF in 2017 at UNF Arena when their home matches were relocated due to Hurricane Irma. Thus, this victory is significant not only for its historical context but also for its implications in the ongoing River City Rumble series.
Breanna McDonough finished with 22 kills on the day to lead the Dolphins offense while finishing with a hitting percentage of .487. Defensively, JU had two players reach double figures in digs as Sofia Rampazzo had 13 and Emily Hodsdon had 12. From the front row, Amina Dervisevic contributed five blocks.
How It Happened
SET 1 | The Dolphins seized an early lead, methodically winning the first set 25-19. Jacksonville never trailed by more than five points and grabbed the advantage for good at 10-9 in a set that had just one lead change before the Dolphins took over the lead. Jacksonville also supplemented their offense with four aces in the opening set.
SET 2 | After their win in the first set, Jacksonville put themselves on the cusp of a sweep with a 25-22 victory in set number two. The Dolphins survived a back-and-forth set to win in a stanza that featured four lead changes and was tied nine times. Neither team led by more than three points along the way. Jacksonville’s front row had a solid defensive performance, blocking five North Florida attacks in the stanza.
SET 3 | Jacksonville took set three to finish off the match. The Dolphins took a 1-0 lead and never looked back in the set to secure a 25-23 victory. Jacksonville opened up as much as a three point lead at 7-4 before finishing off the set, totaling 18 kills along the way.
Roth’s Roundup:
Head Coach Alicia Roth was thrilled with the team’s performance and the atmosphere:
“What a game. I have to thank our fans for showing so much support tonight. The environment was fun to play in and a great way to start the conference season!”
She also reflected on the team’s progress:
“It was exciting to see us implementing so much of the training. This was the best our back row defense has played all year. Heading into a rivalry game, there are always added emotions, and for our girls to keep composure the way they did shows immense growth.”
Perspectives From The ‘Phins
Q: “Bre, you had a great game with 22 kills, what was your mindset going into this rivalry match, and how did you maintain intensity?”
A: “Going into such a big game, it is all excitement. I really try to keep a calm, composed mind. I play my best when I am locked in mentally and physically. I want to do my best for these girls and this program. I am so proud to be a part of something so special, and it makes it very easy to play for them and with them. Throughout the game, I focused on my breathing in between plays to stay calm and only looked at what is in front of me. At the end of the day, I am very competitive, so it’s me against the person in front of me, and they are not winning.”
Q: “Emily, you finished with 35 assists in the sweep victory, how did you connect so efficiently with your hitters during the game?”
A: “Working hard all week in practice and continuously asking for feedback from my hitters so I can put them in the best situation. We have so many reliable options at the net, so it makes my life easier because I can trust every hitter up there.”
Game Notes
– Emily Hodsdon had a match-high three aces in the win.
– Jacksonville never trailed on the way to winning the third set 25-23.
– Breanna McDonough had a match-high 22 kills for Jacksonville.
– Jacksonville got a match-high 13 digs from Sofia Rampazzo.
– Dolphin attackers were helped by 35 assists from Emily Hodsdon.
Up Next
The Dolphins return to action next Friday where they will host ASUN foe, Florida Gulf Coast. The match is set to start at 7:00 P.M and will be available to watch on ESPN+.
