ISLA VISTA, Calif. – The University of Denver volleyball program evened things up at a set piece through two, but fell to North Florida 3-1 (25-15, 15-25, 25-18, 25-18) in the season opener on Friday evening at The Thunderdome.
"I was proud of the way the team battled tonight," head coach Megan Pendergast said. "I think we have a lot to learn, but we're trusting in the process and getting better every day. From where we started to where we are now, we've seen a lot of progress, and I'm excited to see what this team can do. We'll get back after it tomorrow."
The Pioneers offense was paced by Genevieve Lewis, who finished with 11 kills on the day while accumulating a hitting percentage of .304. Ava Reynolds added 11 and Cassie Davis chipped in with 11 as part of a balanced Denver attack. The Pioneers also got 15 digs from Gianna Bartalo and Cadi Boyer had a block solo to go with two assisted for a three-block night to lead them defensively.
Setter Briley Decker had 40 assists, four kills and four digs in her Pioneer debut.
How It Happened
SET 1 | The Pioneers fell behind early, losing the first set 25-15. Denver trailed by as many as 10 points as North Florida grabbed the advantage for good at 4-3 in a set that was tied up three times before the Ospreys took control.
SET 2 | Denver tied the match at 1-1 following a 25-15 victory of its own in set two. The Pioneers grabbed the set powered by a strong performance on the attacking end. Denver put together a .444 attack percentage with 14 kills in the set win. The Pioneers ended on a strong note, stretching their lead to its largest point in the set to finish out the stanza. Denver's front row had a solid defensive performance, blocking four North Florida attacks in the set.
SET 3 | The Pioneers lost the third set 25-18 in spite of a solid showing on the attacking side. Denver registered a .323 attack percentage with 14 kills, but North Florida his .500 to take the two sets to one lead.
SET 4 | North Florida led the entire way through the fourth set, despite a couple mid-set runs for the Pios to try to claw their way back. The final set finished 25-18.
This article created using technology provided by Data Skrive.
Game Notes
- Cassie Davis finished with a career-high 11 kills and a career-high four digs.
- Genevieve Lewis also had a career-high 11 kills.
- Ava Reynolds had career highs in kills (11) and digs (7).
- Denver had three players in double figures in kills, all finishing with 11.
- Gianna Bartalo had a team-high two aces in the loss.
- Denver attackers were helped by a match-high 40 assists from Briley Decker.
Up Next:
Denver will play the middle game of its three-match weekend in California when the Pioneers face tournament hosts UC Santa Barbara on Saturday at 8 p.m. MT. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
Ticket Information:
Tickets for the 2023 volleyball season are on sale now, and can be purchased here.
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