By: Mark Wasik
Friday, October 6
7 p.m. – Kennesaw State (8-6, 1-2 ASUN) at North Florida (7-10, 1-3 ASUN)
Location: UNF Arena | Jacksonville, Fla.
Saturday, October 7
5 p.m. – Kennesaw State (8-6, 1-2 ASUN) at Jacksonville (3-13, 0-4 ASUN)
Location: Swisher Gymnasium | Jacksonville, Fla.
KSU Game Notes
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KENNESAW, Ga. – Kennesaw State Volleyball is looking for its first weekend sweep of the season, as the Owls are off to the River City for a pair of Atlantic Sun contests, starting on Friday night at North Florida, followed by a Saturday evening contest against Jacksonville.
KSU got off to a hot start, winning seven of its first 10 games which included three victories over Power Five opponents. A key injury struck the Owls on the last weekend of non-conference play however, and since KSU has played three Atlantic Sun Conference games, with all three going the full five sets. The Owls came up on the short end of two of the three, and will look to get back to their winning ways with this weekend's road trip.
All-time the Owls are 18-9 against UNF, but the series has been tighter recently, with just a 3-2 edge over the past five games. KSU meanwhile has had a closer series with Jacksonville (15-12 in favor of the Owls), but have won the past five meetings over the Dolphins.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Sophomore outside hitter
Manu Johnsen, 2022 Atlantic Sun Freshman of the Year and a preseason All-ASUN selection this season, ranks second in the conference with a team-high 3.40 kills per set and also is third in points per set with 3.87. Senior defensive specialist
Shelby Dennis is currently seventh in the ASUN with 4.1 digs per set, while a pair of Owls rank in the top 10 in blocks, as freshman
Olivia Burrage is third (1.1 bps) and senior
Claire Parsons is sixth (0.98 bps). Senior setter
McKinley Ferguson tops the conference in assists with 9.63 per set. Also shining in 2023 is super senior
Emma Schurfranz, who is 4th in kills (3.31 kps), and second in points (4.12 ppg).
SCOUTING THE OSPREYS...
After being projected as the fifth best team in the Atlantic Sun Conference, the Osprey have struggled to find their footing this year. In the month of September, they lost five straight matches and three of those matches went to five sets. On the year as a whole they have five matches that have gone to five sets. Despite this North Florida was able to win two of their last three games, 3-1 over Jacksonville and a 3-1 non-conference victory at Florida A&M on Tuesday night.
Offensively the Ospreys are led by Kailey McKnight who ranks in the top five in the Atlantic Sun Conference in kills per game (3.28) and points per game (3.73). Defensively, Rocio Moro has stole the show. Currently she is averaging 4.58 dps, the second best mark in the conference and 48th best nationally.
SCOUTING THE DOLPHINS...
Jacksonville has struggled on the court this season and will bring a 10-game losing streak into the weekend. That includes a 0-4 start in league play, though two of the four have gone to five sets, including their league opener at FGCU. Most recently, JU dropped a 3-2 contest at Austin Peay on Sept. 30.
It's been a balanced attack on offense for the Dolphins, and Anna Erickson is pacing the way with 164 kills (2.78 kps), while Lyric Love is next with 11 kills (2.07 kps). Rebecca Rocassin is tops in assists with 9.36 apg and Kristina Nika is posting 3.97 digs per set.
