AUBURN, Ala. (August 30, 2024) – The University of North Alabama volleyball team opened the 2024 season Friday at the War Eagle Invitational, falling in competitive action against the Auburn Tigers and Wofford Terriers. The Lions (0-2) started the day playing the Auburn Tigers, and against the competition of the SEC, UNA held its own. 10 points across three sets separated the two teams, as the Lions fell to Auburn, 25-21, 25-21, 25-23.
The second match saw North Alabama take on Wofford, and UNA began with a first-set win. The Terriers responded with second and third set wins, but the Lions regained the momentum to force a fifth set. The final set would remain close, but Wofford would hold on to defeat UNA in five frames, 25-27, 25-14, 25-23, 17-25, 15-11.
Freshman Reese Ricketts led the attack with 24 kills, making a statement in her first college volleyball action. Senior Brenna Tietz wrapped up her day with 23 kills, including a career-high 18 kills against Wofford. Graduate Jasmine Brooks rounded out the top three in kills after finishing with 18 kills after two matches.
Setters Elif Ozsoy and Kinslee McGowan finished with 34 and 30 assists, respectively, with Ozsoy also leading with 28 digs. Sophom*ore Olivia Fenoff led the team on the day with four aces, and sophom*ore Nicole Sargent contributed with a team-leading seven blocks.
MATCH 1: AUBURN 3, North Alabama 0 The Lions made it a competitive opening match in the War Eagle Invitational, with each set determined by an average of 3.3 points. UNA came out in the opening match firing on all cylinders, jumping out to an early 10-4 advantage in the opening set. Auburn would go on a 7-1 ensuing run to tie the match with the rest of the set remaining close throughout. Brooks and Ricketts's two first-set kills helped pace the back-and-forth affair with the score tied at 20 apiece. A 5-1 run by the Tigers closed the first set at 25-21, with the Lions looking on to set two. Auburn jumped out to an early 7-1 lead in the second set, but the offense would slowly build momentum as the frame went on. The Tigers maintained their six-point advantage until the 15-9 mark, when the UNA offense went on a 10-3 run to cut the Auburn lead to one at 19-18. Three kills from Tietz and two each from Brooks, Ricketts and junior Hayley Martin led the rally in the set, but timely offense from Auburn saw a second-straight 25-21 win for the Tigers.
North Alabama was the aggressors early in the third, jumping out to a 6-2 lead. The Lions had their best offensive showing in the third frame, with their 17 kills showing the efficiency of the attack. Auburn cut the lead to a one-point advantage at 6-5, but UNA's offense helped maintain distance on the scoresheet. The Lions held a two-point lead at the 15-13 mark, but the Tigers would go on a 4-1 run to take their first lead of the set at 17-16. UNA kept it close down to the wire with both teams playing to a 23-23 stalemate. More clutch attacking from Auburn closed the match out with Tigers taking the third set, 25-23.
MATCH 2: WOFFORD 3, North Alabama 2 The Lions came into match looking to make a statement, starting off with a first-set victory. UNA had 14 kills in the frame and were led on the attack by Ricketts's five kills. North Alabama led wire-to-wire, and despite a Wofford comeback attempt in the set, the Lions were able to take the frame, 27-25. The second and third frames went in favor of the Terriers, but the Lions would show resiliency to force a deciding set. Fifteen kills from the UNA offense inspired the rally, with Tietz contributing 18 kills through the four sets. Set five began as a back-and-forth contest as neither team separated themselves through the midway point. With the score tied at nine, Wofford made a 4-0 ensuing run en route to a 15-11 fifth-set win.
COMING UP NEXT North Alabama continues the weekend at the War Eagle Invitational on Saturday, August 31, to take on Georgia Southern at 10:30 AM. For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit
