JACKSONVILLE, FL—North Florida won its third straight match with a convincing 3-0 (25-18, 25-18, 25-14) victory over visiting NJIT Friday evening in ASUN Conference women's volleyball action at UNF Arena.

North Florida, which has clinched a spot in the ASUN Conference Volleyball Championships, moves to 8-3 in the ASUN (tied with FGCU for third place) and 18-10 overall while the Highlanders drop its fourth straight match, falling to 1-10 in the ASUN and 9-20 overall.

The Ospreys were led by junior outside hitter Katrina Raicevic, the only player to reach double-digit kills in the match, with 10.  Raicevic finished with a .360 hitting percentage on 25 swings with just one error for the home team.  Freshman outside hitter Gabby O'Connell and classmate middle blocker Taryn Griffey each added nine kills in the win.

Setter Madilyn McCarty notched a match-best 29 assists to go along with eight kills, four block assists and three kills, including a .286 hitting percentage for the Ospreys.

Defensively, the Ospreys were paced by O'Connell's match-high 20 digs followed by 18 from libero Kimberly Ferguson.  McCarty and Griggey each added four block assists to lead the match.

North Florida's Raicevic and Ferguson recorded two aces, as the Ospreys held a 6-1 advantage in the service ace category.

Visiting NJIT was led by junior middle Mikalah Hughes with seven kills followed by six apiece from junior Tess Albyn and senior Katarzyna Klocek.  Hughes paced the Highlanders with a .294 hitting percentage.

Freshman setter Liz Benson recorded her ninth straight double-figure match, piling up 24 assists and eight digs.

Sophomore libero Adriana Nieto, who ranks third in the ASUN in total digs and digs per set, recorded her 22^nd double-figure match of the season, combining for a team-best 15 digs.

Newcomer Adrianne Bynoe led the Highlanders in front of net with four total blocks (1 solo, 3 assists).

The first frame, saw seven ties and four lead changes, as the teams traded points into the mid-teens.  With North Florida ahead, 15-13, the Ospreys went on a 7-1 stretch to lead 22-14. After a pair of block assists by the home team, making it set point, a solo block by NJIT Bynoe halted the Osprey momentum but another North Florida blocked closed out the set, 25-18.

NJIT kept the set close in the second set and held a 15-14 midway through the set.  A kill by North Florida, sparked an 8-1 run to give the home team a 23-17 advantage and went on to win, 25-18, for a 2-0 lead heading into intermission. 

The final set saw the teams knot the score seven times through the first 14 points.  After a 7-7 tie, North Florida rallied off three straight points, which started a 10-2 run for the home team, which pulled ahead 17-9, and never looked back, clinching the match with a 25-14 victory.

NJIT will have a quick turnaround and visit Jacksonville on Saturday at 5pm before closing out the non-conference portion of its schedule on November 8 at Delaware State.