FORT MYERS, Fla. -- The Lipscomb University volleyball team posted 48 kills and a side out percentage of 73% to sweep the University of North Alabama in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Atlantic Sun Conference Championship, Thursday afternoon from Alico Arena on the campus of Florida Gulf Coast University. 

With the dub, head coach Brandon Rosenthal picked up his 400th career victory as Lipscomb head coach. 

Final Score: Lipscomb 3, North Alabama 0 (25-16, 25-21, 25-20)
Location: Fort Myers, Florida (Alico Arena)
Records: Lipscomb (18-10), North Alabama (15-15)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Bisons got out to a booming start, posting an 8-2 lead through the first 10 points. Three straight kills by Karlie McNabb and Berkley Mischler forced UNA to burn a timeout. 

LUV swelled the lead to 19-9  thanks to a block from Meg Mersman and Courtney Jones, followed by an Addi Pelham kill. The Bisons opened the match with a 25-16 victory thanks to 15 kills while holding the Lions to 10. 

The Lions were able to flush the first set away quickly, getting out to a 6-2 lead thanks to a couple of attack errors and a Jasmine Brooks spike. However, after a Lipscomb timeout, they went to work to tie the set at nine points apiece with back-to-back blocks. Mersman and Pelham went on top for a block, and on the next point, Mersman was all by herself to even the set. 

The teams went back-and-forth, but UNA was forced to take a timeout after a Mischler and Sophia Hudepohl assisted block gave the Bisons the 15-13 edge. 

Tied at 21, Jones smashed a kill that forced what was to be a huge side out for the Bisons, as they did not relinquish the serve for the rest of the set to win 25-21 and take a two sets to none lead. 

In the third set, the Bisons stayed in control with 19 kills in the frame. After a service error by UNA and an ace by Hudepohl to even it up at 13, back-to-back kills by Jones gave the Bisons the lead for good. 
 
ROSENTHAL WINS 400TH
On Thursday, head coach Brandon Rosenthal picked up his 400th career victory for Lipscomb University. 

The all-time winningest coach in ASUN history, Rosenthal entered the weekend inside the top 50 among active winningest coaches in NCAA Division I. 
Hear more from Rosenthal on the milestone.
QUOTABLES
Hear from Karlie McNabb post match on Thursday.
Hear more from Coach Rosenthal.
KEY STATISTICS
As a team, the Bisons went 43-of-59 in side outs, averaging under 73%. 

Lipscomb put together 48 kills on the afternoon, led by Courtney Jones with 18, tallying a .382 attack percentage. The First Team All-ASUN selection dropped eight in the second set alone. 

Meg Mersman totaled 12.5 points on the day with nine kills and six total blocks, while Sophia Hudepohl recorded her 30th career double-double with 39 assists and 10 digs. 

Karlie McNabb also secured a double-double with 11 digs and 10 kills. She added 1.5 blocks to her ledger. Libby Steinhart led the defense with 12 digs. 

HERD NOTES
Lipscomb is now 29-12 all-time in ASUN Championship matches and 11-1 in opening round matchups. 

This the 19th time in 20 appearances at the championship the Bisons have appeared in the semifinals.

LUV played UNA for the first time in the series in the postseason on Thursday. The Bisons hold a 16-1 advantage over the Lions all-time. 

UP NEXT
Lipscomb will advance to face Central Arkansas, who defeated North Florida in five sets earlier on Thursday, in the semifinals. First serve is slated for Friday evening at 5 p.m. ET from Alico Arena.