Beach Bears Keep Rolling, Post Split At UNF Duuuval Duals

Friday, February 28

Jacksonville, Fla.

10 a.m.

Mercer University

#19 North Florida

Beach Bears Keep Rolling, Post Split At UNF Duuuval Duals

2/28/2025 8:47:00 PM | Beach Volleyball

North Florida Box Score Chattanooga Box Score

By: Todd Anderson, anderson_t02@mercer.edu

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Nineteenth-ranked North Florida used a three-set thriller on Court No. 2 to narrowly escape an upset bid by Mercer, but the Bears got their train rolling again with a 4-1 rout of Chattanooga on Friday afternoon in Day 1 action at the UNF Duuuval Duals in northeast Florida.

The Bears (4-2) kept a stranglehold on their best start in five years with the Friday split. Mercer fell to 2-28 all-time in the 13-year-old history with the unbeaten Ospreys (5-0), while staying perfect in four all-time meetings with the Mocs (1-1).

MU's No. 3 tandem of Liv Diaz and Sydney Benson turned in a dominant 21-14, 21-18 win over UNF's Eden Anderson and Madison Espy to knot the match up late, but the Ospreys eked past the Bears moments later when Andrea Da Silva and Taylor Pierce held off a furious charge by Mercer's No. 2 pair of Kate Hardie and Jordan Paddock before posting a 15-11 decision in a match-deciding third set.

The Bears were all business in the afternoon matchup with the Mocs, capturing a trio of matchups in straight sets to key the win. Kathryn Corbett and Nicole O'Mara breezed to a 21-14, 21-17 victory at No. 4 pairs to highlight that win, while Benson and Diaz tallied a three-set ouster of UTC's Paige Gallentine and Kaye Gresham on Court No. 3.

Mercer will close out its portion of play in the UNF Duuuval Duals with a pair of contests, including a 10 a.m. tilt with Jacksonville (1-5). MU is also scheduled to take on Saint Leo (1-3) at 2 p.m.