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Florida improves to 2-0 in SEC play with the win over rival Georgia

The Georgia Bulldogs came to the O’Dome to play.

UGA took the first set against the No. 12 Gators; previously, Florida hadn’t dropped the first set of a match since their 0-3 loss to No. 8 Minnesota on Sept. 7.

However, the Gators stayed resilient and took the next three sets to improve to 11-2 (SEC 2-0) on the season.

How it Happened

The Gators opened the match by dropping their first set in five games. Florida made it close, though, as they rallied from 21-13 down to make it 24-22. However, UGA would hold on and take the set 25-22.

The second set was a different story. While the Gators led for the majority of the frame, the Bulldogs continued to fight to make it close. In the end, the Gators evened things up with a 25-21 second set victory.

Much like the first set, the Gators had to fight from a losing position in the third. From 19-13 down, Florida found its momentum in the blocking game. They rallied and took the set 25-23.

The fourth and final set was much like the second; although Florida led the majority of the way, UGA would not go away. The Gators ultimately took it 25-17 to win their ninth straight match of the season.

Team Leaders

The Bulldogs had players who led the match in both kills and assists. Kacie Evans racked up the most kills in the game with 16 on 42 attacks. Meghan Donovan gave a whopping 47 assists.

Head Coach Mary Wise was very complimentary of the senior setter, saying that “she was so good giving her hitters great looks.”

Statistically, the Gators had a few players fighting to lead the match. Thayer Hall put up 15 kills on 36 attempts, and Holly Carlton had 14 kills on 29 swings. Marlie Monserez gave 45 assists.

Defensively, the Gators dominated. Allie Gregory led the way with 20 digs. As a team, the Gators had 13.0 blocks to Georgia’s 7.0. Carlton, Rachael Kramer and Lauren Dooley each had four.

Coach’s Thoughts

“Credit Georgia,” said Wise. “They played so cleanly and just didn’t give us any points. They took it to us, but I’m pleased how the players responded.”

Next Up

Next, the Gators will hit the road for the first time in 10 games to face the No. 16 Kentucky Wildcats.

“We’ve been at home for a handful of weekends, so we’re ready to hit the road and start playing on away courts,” said Gregory.

First serve is schedule for Sunday, Oct. 6 at 1 p.m. For the latest, follow @JEricksonReport and @ChompTalk on Twitter.