North Florida’s Taryn Griffey led the game with 19 kills as the Ospreys evened the all time series with Georgia Southern volleyball at 5-5 apiece in their 3-2 victory on Tuesday. 

“I told the team in the locker room we were extremely proud of the fight,” Head Coach Chad Willis said in a press conference. “Even in a match where we really struggled at times, to continue to pull ourselves up and keep after it shows the kind of mindset we’ve established and how we’re maturing as a team. It’s tough business going on the road and earning wins, but we’ve got 12 more matches away from Hanner this season that will benefit from the fight and effort we showed tonight.”

The Eagles were led by senior outside hitter Carly Turner, who had 11 kills, and junior middle hitter Skylar Ball, who recorded 10 kills and three blocks in her first match back from injury. 

The match drops the Eagles to 4-4 this season as the team prepares for the Tennessee Invitational this weekend.

GS came up short in the first set 25-16, but bounced back with a 25-19 victory in the second. After going down 2-1, the Eagles forced a fifth set with a hardfought 29-27 win, but ultimately lost the match 15-9 in the fifth set.  

The win gave the Ospreys their fourth win of the season, and sets up a chance for GS to enter conference play with a winning record, provided the squad can find a way to go at least 2-1 in Knoxville. 

After their weekend matches, GS begins conference play with a match at Coastal Carolina in what the Eagles hope will mark the start of a season that sees the team place higher than its last place Eastern Division ranking in 2018. 

Michael Smith, The George-Anne Sports Reporter, gasports@georgiasouthern.edu