PENSACOLA, Fla. - No. 21 UWF (5-1) was tested in Day 1 of the Outback Invitational at UWF Field House on Friday but came away with two wins to lead the field. 

WEST FLORIDA 3, WINGATE 2 (25-21, 23-25, 25-18, 20-25, 15-8)

The Argos were pushed to a fifth set for the first time in 2024 by the Bulldogs (4-1) in the programs' first ever meeting. The UWF defense withstood a strong Wingate offense that saw all hitters save two hitting over .250 and came up with four more kills by forcing four more errors, helping the hosts narrowly take the hitting battle .311 to .292.   

Trailing 15-12 in the opening frame, a service error gave the ball back to UWF. Delaney Hanowell served up two aces that sandwiched kills from Cate Wright and Damyah Joyner to take a two-point lead. Wingate got back within one and traded points before committing another miscue on the serve, leading to kills by Hanowell and Annie Monaco and an ace from libero Taylor Teaman. A third service error put the Argos up 1-0 in the match. 

A 3-0 run after trailing 20-19 helped the Bulldogs put away Set 2. In Set 3, leading 7-5, Gabi Moulton got the ball back with a kill to open up an 8-1 run. Caiden Largent came up with two kills and Teaman added three aces in this span. Wingate took eight of the next 11 points, but Joyner put down a kill ahead of ones from Jenna Zydlo, Monaco and Largent as part of a 6-1 span to give the Argos set point. The Bulldogs didn't go down easily with three consecutive kills to stave it off for a while before Largent gave the match lead back to her team.

A pair of 5-1 stretches helped Wingate claw back to take the fourth frame and put the Argos on the ropes. Monaco drew her team even in the fifth at 3 apiece before a Bulldog error and kills by Hanowell and Joyner. The latter added two more kills ahead of a trade of service errors and a Largent kill to lead 11-6. Kills from Moulton and Monaco and a block between Monaco and Zydlo gave UWF match point before Zydlo's kill provided the finishing touch. West Florida did not commit a single attack error in the period, providing 10 kills on 15 attempts for a .667 frame while holding Wingate to just .190.

The Argo offense similarly hummed with five hitters going over .250. Monaco put up her first double-double of the season and the fifth of her UWF career, leading the team with 18 kills on a .343 day to go with 10 digs. Largent scored 11 kills on 27 attempts for a .370 performance. Zydlo had 10 kills on 22 attacks and led the team in efficiency with a .409 with five total blocks. Joyner got 10 kills of her own. Moulton had another eye-popping stat line, racking up 50 assists and putting down seven kills on just 12 attempts for a .583 percentage.

WEST FLORIDA 3, SPRING HILL 1 (25-16, 25-9, 24-26, 25-16)

Leading across the stat sheet and not having to sweat out a wild opening set like it did in last weekend's meeting with the Badgers (1-4), UWF looked to add another sweep to their undefeated history with Spring Hill after convincing wins in the first two frames. SHC clawed back and claimed the third after trailing by as much as six and staving off a UWF match point with the last four points, delaying the result before the Argos finished the day sweep in the third in Friday's nightcap.

Leading by five and trying to seal the win, Spring Hill refused to say die and got back within one. Zydlo and Moulton earned crucial kills around a Badger error to start the clinching 11-3 run. A bad set gave the ball back to the Argos. Largent promptly checked back in and got a kill of her own. Moulton and Zydlo stepped up again by splitting a block before Zydlo scored another kill and Monaco another ace to add to their big days. Leading 23-16, Largent and Hanowell earned kills to finish off another productive day at the office for the Argos.

Joyner finished with another monster day, racking up 16 kills on just 23 attacks for an insane .652 performance. Zydlo also had over half of her attacks find the floor, registering 12 kills on 16 attempts for a .588 percentage. The two combined for five block assists. Monaco scored 10 kills with two kills and two block assists. Hanowell and Meg Brackhan each fired three aces. Brackhan scooped 13 attacks and Teaman had 14. Moulton had 47 assists, seven digs and five kills.

While the teams each committed 18 offensive errors and combined for 23 service errors, it was the hosts' potent offense that proved to be the difference, dominating the hitting battle .339 to .124 against the visitors from about an hour east on I-10. 

The Argos are back at it on Saturday at 2 pm against Florida Tech and play in a nightcap once again against Northwest Missouri State.

For more information, please visit GoArgos.com or follow the program at @UWFVolleyball on Facebook, X and Instagram.