McCarthy's Career Night Powers Volleyball to Five-Set Win Against UNF

Friday, October 2

Nashville, Tenn.

6 pm

Lipscomb University

8-4,1-1ASUN

North Florida

8-6,1-1ASUN

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Final F
North Florida	20	25	25	23	10	2
Lipscomb	25	17	20	25	15	3

Box Score (PDF)

McCarthy's Career Night Powers Volleyball to Five-Set Win Against UNF

10/2/2026 9:16:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

NASHVILLE – Down 2-1 going into the fourth set. It's not the first time the Lipscomb University Volleyball team (8-4, 1-1 ASUN) has played down this season, and on Friday night in Allen Arena, it took five, but the Bisons secured the come-from-behind victory over the University of North Florida (8-6, 1-1).

HOW IT HAPPENED
Ella Durham put the Bisons in front 4-2 with consecutive kills, but the Ospreys worked their way back behind Yarimar Francis Garay and Dakota Spurrier and later led 8-6. The Bisons kept the set tight with blocks from Anna Claire Brown and Brooklyn Fuchs and kills from Brown, Madyson McCarthy and Sydney Strenger, reaching 15-15 before the Ospreys moved ahead 16-15.

The Bisons answered with five of the next six points, including Brown-Fuchs block and kills by McCarthy, Fuchs and Brown, to move in front 20-17. After the Ospreys pulled within 21-20 on a Dakota Spurrier ace, the Bisons closed the set with a Strenger kill, an Ospreys attack error and two Durham kills for a 25-20 win.

In set two, the Bisons traded points early, getting kills from Strenger and Durham to stay even at 3-3. The Ospreys followed with five straight points, including three Kaili Doctor kills, to move ahead 8-3, and the visitors kept the margin at five or more through the middle of the set. McCarthy and Strenger helped the Bisons trim a 23-13 deficit to 23-16 with consecutive kills, but the Ospreys moved to 24-16 on a block by Leah McDonald and Yarimar Francis Garay.

Kelsey Schenck answered with a kill for the Bisons before McDonald closed the set for the Ospreys, 25-17.

After the Ospreys built a 6-3 lead to start the third, the Bisons won six straight points, with Schenck serving three aces, to move in front 9-6. The Ospreys pulled even at 10-10, but kills from McCarthy, Durham and Fuchs helped the Bisons stay ahead 17-14.

The Ospreys answered with four straight points to take an 18-17 lead, and after Brown tied it with a kill, the Ospreys scored three more for a 21-18 edge. The Bisons got back within 22-20 on an Ospreys service error, but the Ospreys closed the set with the final three points for a 25-20 win.

The Bisons built an early cushion in the fourth set, turning a 4-2 lead into 12-3 as McCarthy served four straight points, Durham and Fuchs added kills, and Strenger delivered a service ace.

The Ospreys decided to return the favor, as they went on a 12-3 run of their own to even the set at 15 before moving ahead 19-17 on Kaili Doctor's kill.
After the Ospreys led 20-18, the Bisons took four straight points on a Fuchs kill, an Ospreys attack error, Durham's kill from Fuchs and another attack error to go in front 22-20.

UNF tied it again at 22-22 and 23-23, but a Dawson attack error put LUV at set point before Lexi Guinn finished the 25-23 set with a kill from Schenck.

The fifth set stayed tight early, with Durham's ace giving the Bisons a 2-1 lead before the Ospreys moved ahead 5-4 on an Emma Pohlmann ace and McCarthy tied it at 5-5 with a kill from Schenck. After ties at 6-6, 7-7 and 8-8, Durham served another ace for a 9-8 Bisons edge, but Kaili Doctor answered with a kill from Sofia Dawson to bring the Ospreys even at 9-9.

McCarthy's kill from Schenck put the Bisons back in front 10-9, and the Bisons followed with a Doctor attack error to give the Bisons a two-point lead, 11-9, for the first time in the set.

A Strenger kill and another McCarthy spike extended the lead to 13-9 before closing the set 15-10 on an Ospreys service error and a Dakota Spurrier attack error.

HERD NOTES
In the 36th meeting all-time between the two schools, the Bisons improved the series record to 31-5.

Playing its second straight five-set match with North Florida, Lipscomb went to 7-0 all-time over UNF when the match goes to a five set. Four of the previous seven matchups that went the distance were played in Nashville.

For the fifth time this season, Lipscomb played a match where each team won the first two sets. After Friday's win, LUV moves to 5-0 this season in such instances.

KEY STATISTICS
It was a career night for Madison McCarthy, as she paced the Bisons in kills with 16 and recorded her first career double-double with 13 digs.

Ella Durham eclipsed the 200-point mark on the season, totaling 17.5 points after 14 kills, two aces and two total blocks.

Sydney Strenger added 10 kills, while Grace Jones led the defense with 18 digs.

Kenzie Kucks also contributed 13 digs.

UP NEXT
The weekend home stand concludes on Saturday afternoon against Jacksonville. First serve is set for 1:30 p.m.