Senior Poise Leads UNT Volleyball Past FAU

DENTON, Texas – It took some late heroics from Melanie Boykins, but the North Texas volleyball team was able to get past Florida Atlantic in five sets and earn a split in the opening weekend of Sun Belt play (25-13, 17-25, 25-17, 17-25, 15-12).

Boykins posted 14 kills on the afternoon, two of which helped the Mean Green (10-7, 1-1 SBC West) dig out of a 5-2 hole in the fifth and deciding set. Hallie McDonald and Madison Barr teamed up for a tide-turning block that put NT on top 10-8, and a pair of Owl (3-11, 0-2 SBC East) attack errors closed the match.

Attack errors proved the deciding factor in the match, as the Owls hit a negative attack percentage in the first, third and fifth sets – all of which NT won handily. On the other hand, NT committed 34 attack errors overall to keep the Owls in the match.

North Texas started the day on fire. Eboni Godfrey posted a line-drive kill that put the Mean Green on top 5-1 and an ace that made it 9-2, and NT cruised to a 25-13 first set win.

Despite only nine kills in the frame FAU took the second set thanks to 14 total NT errors. The fourth set was almost a repeat, with the Owls snagging only 10 kills in taking the set.

Shelley Morton continued her outstanding play against FAU. Playing in just her sixth match since returning from injury, the senior posted 16 kills and 16 digs – both match highs.

North Texas hits the road for its first Sun Belt away action next weekend at ULM and Louisiana-Lafayette on Friday and Sunday, respectively.