The Florida Gators Volleyball team played host to conference foe LSU Friday at the O’Dome. UF has suffered significant injuries to key players this season which has hindered their success. Despite the challenges the team has faced, they were able to rally for a sweep of conference rival LSU.
Freshman Kennedy Martin has now recorded the most kills from any freshman after 21 matches in the history of Florida Gators Volleyball.
The Gators started off strong in the first set earning a 7-5 lead. Two kills apiece from Gabrielle Essix and Kennedy Martin extended UF’s lead to 13-10 in set one. Seniors AC Fitzpatrick and Sofia Victoria displayed their defensive talents while each tallying a block to help the Gators lead reach 19-14.
An ace from Victoria forced set point and Florida came out victorious 25-17.
In set two, Florida looked to keep their momentum going. It was a back-and-forth affair as the teams were all squared at 5-5. An ace by Emily Canaan gave the Gators an 11-7 lead and forced an LSU timeout.
The set remained competitive until Florida posted a 23-19 lead after a kill by Okammor. LSU showed no signs of quit as they responded with a 4-0 run to tied the set. The home crowd came to life with the set on the line as the Gators won the next two point to take a 2-0 advantage in the set.
Moving to the third set, Florida was looking for a sweep. Martin tallied a block at the net that was followed by an ace from Trinity Adams. The 7-3 Gators lead forced an LSU timeout. The break was not enough to slow down Martin as she slammed a kill to the ground after the timeout.
Later in the set, fifth year Kennedy Muff caught the LSU defense slipping with a dump over the net giving the Gators a 14-8 lead. Florida saw their lead grow to eight after Trinity Adams tallied an ace to give Florida a 19-12 lead coming down the stretch.
Matin capped off a victory for the Gators on the final rally to secure the sweep with a 26-16 victory in set three.
Florida moves to 15-7 on the season and 7-6 in conference play. The Gators will be back in action Sunday as they hit the road to travel to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, to battle the Crimson Tide. First serve is slated for 5 p.m. and will be available on SEC+.