PENSACOLA, Fla. – The University of West Florida volleyball team defeated No. 21 North Alabama in the 10th annual "Pack It Pink" match at the UWF Field House on Saturday afternoon. UWF kept sole possession of first place in the Gulf South Conference with the win and improved to 13-5 on the year.
 
"I think the takeaway is from the last two weeks," head coach Melissa Wolter said. "I've tried to really drive home the point to our team that this is a journey. I think we're a 180 from who we were last week. Our whole program is so much more dialed into executing, to game planning, to demanding the best out of our team, and you saw it today. From 0-0, they gave everything they had."
 
Corisha Smith led all players with 16 kills on the day, hitting .556 across the sweep. Rachel Neblett and Kathryn Torre posted big numbers for UWF as well, with Neblett tallying 11 kills and hitting .556. Torre notched seven kills, including four in as many attempts in the final set, with no errors and three blocks.
 
With a 41-assist game on Saturday, junior setter Monique StCyr passed Melina Periera for third all-time on the UWF career assists list. UWF is 8-1 in games when StCyr has at least 40 helpers.
 
Senior libero Tori Martella recorded 15 digs in the match, keeping her lead in the GSC in digs per set, with 5.03.  
 
The first set was a battle from the very start, with neither team leading by more than three points until UWF took a 24-20 lead late in the set and closed it out with an attack error from UNA's Peyton Lang on the next point. Smith and Neblett each took off in the first set. Smith picked up a staggering seven kills and Neblett nearly matched her with six, while neither player had an attack error. West Florida combined to hit .400 in the first.
 
The Argonauts were able to pull away more often in the second set, but UNA was still able to keep things close. Smith again led all players in kills for the set, picking up six.
 
The third set was more up-and-down, with UWF trailing at one point 9-14. After going on a 5-1 run and pulling within just a point, West Florida forced a UNA timeout while trailing 14-15. The Argonauts went back-and-forth in the ensuing points and forced another Lions timeout after taking a 22-21 lead. UWF closed the game out with a 3-1 run.
 
West Florida hit .459 as a team in the final set, with 17 kills and no errors. On the day, UWF hit a season-best .389.
 
"I think (Pack It Pink) makes my time here at UWF really special, because I went through my journey 10 years ago here and everybody was so amazing," Wolter said. "It gives me a chance to reflect on that and it gives us a chance to honor so many other people who have battled and are still battling it. It's a very special day."
 
Over the past decade, the team has collected more than $50,000 to do its part in the fight against breast cancer, with the "Pack It Pink" event sometimes raising more than $10,000 per year.
 
West Florida will attend the South Region Crossover in Orlando, Florida, next weekend.