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UNF beach volleyball team blanks Chattanooga, ousted by top-seeded USC in NCAA tournament

garry smits, jacksonville florida times-union
·1 min read

The University of North Florida's beach volleyball team had a short stay on the sand in Gulf Shores, Ala., on Friday in its first NCAA Championship.

But the Ospreys came away with one victory before running into the buzzsaw that is top-seeded and three-time defending national champion USC.

UNF blanked Chattanooga in a first-round match 3-0 at The Hangout, the beach volleyball venue at the Gulf Shores Public Beach. That got the No. 16-seeded Ospreys a match against the Trojans, and it ended just as quickly in a 3-0 loss.

University of North Florida beach volleyball duo Madison Espy (left) and Presley Murray celebrate a point won against Chattanooga in the first round of the NCAAA Beach Volleyball Tournament on Friday at the Gulf Shores (Ala.) Public Beach. They won their match to lead UNF to a 3-0 victory.
University of North Florida beach volleyball duo Madison Espy (left) and Presley Murray celebrate a point won against Chattanooga in the first round of the NCAAA Beach Volleyball Tournament on Friday at the Gulf Shores (Ala.) Public Beach. They won their match to lead UNF to a 3-0 victory.

North Florida (25-12) had an eight-match winning streak broken, with the last six coming on shutouts. USC (34-5) has won five of the first seven NCAA titles since a national championship began for the sport in 2016.

The Ospreys won all three of their matches against Chattanooga in straight sets. Taylor Pierce-Michaela Rezentes beat Neva Clark-Corina Vale 21-14, 21-16; Presley Murray-Madison Espy topped Gylian Finch-McKenna Faychak 21-13, 21-14; and Cameron Humphries-Hayden Wooldridge breezed past Kaye Gresham-Paige Gallentine 21-13, 21-10. Two matches were left unfinished once UNF clinched the best three-of-five format.

But the Trojans also won three matches in straight sets: Madison White-Maddie Kriz edged Murray-Espy 21-17, 21-18 in the closest match; Ashley Pater-Grace Seits beat Cameron Humphries-Hayden Wooldridge 21-14, 21-8; and Audrey Nourse-Nicole Nourse beat Katie Camp-Iris Fletcher 21-14, 21-16.

UNF qualified for the tournament by winning its fifth ASUN title last week. But it was the first time the ASUN received an NCAA bid for its champion.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Ospreys beach volleyball team wins first round, ousted by USC in NCAAs