SPORTS
- Inside the Huddle
- Ospreys take overtime win against cross- town rivals Renee Robarge
- Ospreys choke on unforced errors against A-Sun conference leader John Weidner
- Victory closes team's road schedule Brett Morgan
- Vanderbilt washed up by Osprey performance Lori Bero
- Surfing UNF
Inside the Huddle
 Adam O'Neill Men's Soccer |
 Matt Hollyoak Men's Soccer |
 Shareef Rajkumar Men's Soccer |
 Buddy Wilks Men's Soccer |
| Question 1: What will it take to win the Atlantic-Sun Conference this season? | |||
| Hard work, dedication and a bit of luck. | To win the A-Sun, it will take a great deal of discipline and hard work. UNF men's soccer is without a doubt good enough. It's just a matter of putting in the hard work. | Hard work and luck (we need some results to go our way) | We need to win the rest of our games and play up to our potential. If we play like we can and a couple of teams drop their games, we can come out victorious. |
| Question 2: What is your favorite quote by head soccer coach Ray Bunch? | |||
| He has a few, but "They are going to come out like a house on fire" is probably my favorite. | My favorite Bunch quote is, "They are going to come out like a house | He has quite a few, but I'll go with "Ya know." | "We need to come out like a bat out of hell." It gets the team really excited and super pumped up for the game! I love it. |
| Question 3: What are your thoughts on David Beckham's impact on U.S. soccer? | |||
| Not as much as he should have. Soccer should be the biggest sport here, like it is everywhere else. | David Beckham's impact on the USA has been huge. There are now two decent-sized soccer sections in Dick's, and recently Beckham has been voted the No. 1 man in America. | Who? He's overrated, but he has managed to get people interested in the sport and sell out stadiums. | Beckham has definitely positively impacted the game. People who would never go to games now watch him play. |
| Question 4: Who do you feel is currently the best soccer player in the world and why? | |||
| Kaka! He's technically amazing. | John Terry, the Chelsea and England captain is the best player in the world, and not only because he is English. He is a solid defender who wins games without scoring goals! | Right now Messi because he is performing, but I am biased to Cristiano Ronaldo. | Ruud van Nistelrooy because his composure and finishing are second to none. |
Ospreys take overtime win against cross- town rivals
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Akil DeFreitas controls the ball in a preseason game against Jacksonville University. He helped the Ospreys to a win against JU Oct. 17. |
An overtime score gave the University of North Florida men's soccer team the win Oct. 17 over Jacksonville University at the Ashley Sports Complex.
"JU controlled the ball two-thirds of the first half," said head coach Ray Bunch. "[But] sometimes it comes down to who wants it the most, and tonight we wanted it a little more than they did."
Both teams remained scoreless in the first half in a defensive battle lasting through the whistle in the 45th minute.
The first goal came in the 59th minute, when Osprey freshman forward Adam O'Neill kicked one into the back of the net.
The Dolphins answered four minutes later when freshman forward/midfielder Nedim Hrustic tied the game.
In regulation, JU made six shots on goal, while UNF (5-7-0, 4-3-0 A-Sun) managed four looks at the net.
"We had too many corners we didn't capitalize on," Bunch said. "We have a young side, and that will come in time."
Nearing the end of the second half, with the score tied at 1-1, time was a scarce commodity.
Neither team hit the back of the net through the end of regulation, so they entered overtime.
The defensive battle continued into the final minutes of what would have been the end of the second overtime stint, but a goal by freshman forward Akil DeFreitas chalked up a W for the Ospreys with just three minutes remaining.
"We have lost two overtime games so far this season," Bunch said. "We were due one."
With the win against cross-town rival JU, UNF will receive the Viollet Cup for the first time since 2003, an award honoring the winner of this annual matchup.
The upset places UNF at second in the Atlantic Sun standings, just under the Dolphins.
The Ospreys will host Presbyterian College for the second game of the SunTrust River City Rumble competition. The teams will face off at 1 p.m. at Hodges Stadium.
Contact Renee Robarge at sports@unfspinnaker.com -- PERMALINK -- TOP OF PAGE
Ospreys choke on unforced errors against A-Sun conference leader
Team falls to 1-8 in Conference
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Claire Yonutas prepares at the net Oct. 20 against Florida Gulf Coast University. |
University of North Florida volleyball was not able to overcome Florida Gulf Coast's defense as the Ospreys went down in three games to the Eagles
Oct. 20.
The Ospreys (4-20, 1-8 A-Sun) hit a season low -0.52 and committed 25 errors against the top-ranked team in the Atlantic Sun Conference and were not able to recover from their mistakes.
In the first game after leading 11-6, the Eagles went 10-4 to go up 21-10 and separate themselves from the Ospreys.
The Eagles would allow the Ospreys to score only four more points the rest of the game, taking a one-game lead.
Senior right side hitter Claire Yonutas and freshman middle blocker Marshay Greenlee led UNF in the first game with two kills each.
After game one, UNF fell into trouble in hitting. Ultimately, the first game was the only one where the Ospreys maintained a positive hitting percentage.
Florida Gulf Coast got off to a quick start in the second game by taking a 10-3 lead over
the Ospreys.
The Ospreys tried to keep up with the Eagles by going on a 4-1 run, highlighted by a kill and an ace from junior middle blocker Bary Rasmussen to make the score 20-10.
However, the run was not enough and the Eagles responded with a 10-4 run to take a two-game lead.
The Eagles jumped out to a 25-9 lead in the third game, and although the Ospreys outscored them 8-5 in the last 13 points of the match, the Eagles secured
the win.
Bary Rasmussen led the Ospreys on offense with a team-high six kills, and freshman setter Madeline Belvin notched 17 assists. On the defensive side, senior outside hitter Maegan Weisert led UNF with 11 digs, and Yonutas, along with defensive specialist Chelsea Rabe, had two aces for the Ospreys.
Volleyball's next game will be Oct. 25 against Jacksonville University in one of their two opportunities this year to grab a point in the River City Rumble.
The girls for UNF to look out for on the Dolphins' squad are Sara Bendorf and Melissa Merchant. Bendorf leads JU with 3.38 kills per game and 38 service aces.
Merchant leads the team in hitting percentage with a
.317 mark.
Contact John Weidner at sports@unfspinnaker.com -- PERMALINK -- TOP OF PAGE
Victory closes team's road schedule
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Kady Dearing kicks against Gardner- Webb. She scored a goal Oct. 20 in the win against Campbell Unversity. |
With a 2-1 victory at Campbell University Oct. 20, the University of North Florida women's
soccer team finished its road schedule undefeated in
conference play.
"We are very excited to have a five-game winning streak on the road, which is remarkable," assistant coach Morgan Church said. "Most teams play better at home than on the road, but we have played very well on the road."
The Ospreys (6-9-1, 5-3 A-Sun) benefited from a Camel blunder early when Campbell gave up an own goal in minute 24. After UNF junior Elizabeth Gowan scored on a pass from Kady Dearing in the 42nd minute, the Ospreys went into halftime with a 2-0 cushion.
That advantage was threatened throughout the second half, with Campbell outshooting UNF 7-1.
The Camels took advantage of one opportunity in the 75th minute with a Jenna Sullivan goal.
The goal would be Campbell's last, as junior goalkeeper Rachael Howard made two saves and helped UNF escape with a victory.
The Ospreys had a 5-0 edge in corner kicks along with a free kick in the 87th minute. Although it was unable to capitalize, UNF was relieved to get
a victory.
The women's soccer team finishes its regular season with four games at home, beginning with its Oct. 26 match up against Lipscomb University. The match starts at 7 p.m. at Hodges Stadium.
Contact Brett Morgan at sports@unfspinnaker.com -- PERMALINK -- TOP OF PAGE
Vanderbilt washed up by Osprey performance
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Sophomore Zeynep Meric swims freestyle during the 2006-07 season. She competed with UNF in its win against Vanderbilt University. |
Wins in 10 of 12 events Oct. 19 gave the University of North Florida women's swimming and diving team a 162-69 win over Vanderbilt University.
Freshman freestyle swimmer LynAnn Nelson led UNF (2-0 in duals) by setting new season bests with a 25.19 second win in the 50-yard freestyle and a 5-minute 6.03- second win in the 500-yard free.
"It was a great way to start our home schedule," said head coach Beth Harrell. "We had some season bests tonight, and I think so far this year we've been able to start faster than we have in the past."
A new career best of 1:9.63 seconds gave sophomore breaststroke swimmer Kristin Pike a first-place finish in the 100-yard breast stroke, while freshman freestyle swimmer Sara Taylor swam a 10:54.4 1,000-yard freestyle for her first career win.
Competing in her first individual event in the United States, freshman freestyle swimmer Megan Boudreau finished first in the 100-yard freestyle with 54.69 seconds.
Junior diver Emily Eisenhower, who qualified for the NCAA Zone-B Diving Championships, swept both the 1- and 3-meter competitions.
In the 200-yard medley relay, freshman freestyle/backstroke swimmer Jennifer Bajger Pike, freshman freestyle swimmer Charlene Nebera and freshman freestyle/backstroke swimmer Becky Ryerson picked up a 1:50.91 first-place
finish.
Sophomore backstroke swimmer Emily Shaw also finished on top for UNF in the 100-yard backstroke with 1:1.62, and sophomore individual medley swimmer Krissy Harms finished first in the 200-yard individual medley with a 2:16.35 time.
"Everyone is excited about this year and our new conference," Harrell said. "I think we'll be a player in the conference."
Last year the Ospreys finished fifth in the Pacific Coast conference, and this year is the first season UNF will be part of the Coastal Collegiate Swimming Association.
The Ospreys dual with Campbell University at home Nov. 3.
Contact Lori Bero at sports@unfspinnaker.com -- PERMALINK -- TOP OF PAGE
Surfing UNF
Surf Club rides growing wave of popularity among Ospreys
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It is no secret that many people choose to attend the University of North Florida because of its proximity to the beach.
For many students, it is one natural feature that other universities don't have, but for surfers, being near the beach is a way of life, said Lucas Snyder, senior public relations major and president of the UNF
Surf Club.
"I think it [coming to UNF] had a lot to do with the type of laid-back environment being close to the beach brings with it," Snyder said.
There is a surfing community at UNF that breaks molds, he said.
No longer is surfing only for the bleach-blond guy who says "dude" and "bro"; surfers are all over campus, and you can't even tell who they are, Snyder said.
Although surfing is not a sport associated with the Athletic Department, students have begun a Surf Club and team at UNF that allows people with a common interest to come together for fun and competition.
The surf team is a branch of the Surf Club that practices and goes to competitions
regularly.
There are about 20 members on the team at UNF who compete with the
National Scholastic Surfing Association.
"We probably go to about one
competition a month from September to March," said Matt Radacz, captain of the surf team. "In April, we compete in the East Coast Championship."
In the past, the team has received first, second and third places in the East Coast Championships, but has not been able to attend the national championships in California due to a lack of funding.
Some members of the surfing community have been surfing and competing since they were young, while others, like freshman Jake Radacz, picked up surfing more recently.
He said he has been able to meet a lot of friends through surfing.
Snyder agreed, saying students enjoy taking a break from school to relax and hang out with friends at the beach.
"I am surfing for fun," Snyder said. "My
approach to competitive surfing would be too laid-back. I'd rather enjoy the opportunity for myself."
Many surfers frequent favorite locations like Hannah Park and Ponta Vedra Beach. Snyder said the best place and time of day to surf
depends on the wind and the tide.
"Ideally, you want to surf August through February - during hurricane season - and mornings before the wind turns on shore,"
Snyder said.
Although UNF is in close proximity to the beach, Matt Radacz said the administration could do more to bring surfers to the university.
Because surf events cannot generally be on campus, the Surf Club doesn't receive funding for its events since Student Government only provides funding for on-campus events. This brings club events away from the ocean.
However, the Surf Club is known as the largest on-campus club, and it proves UNF's proximity to the beach has an impact on
who applies.
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