• VB: UF Moves to 7-0 in Sweep Vs. Winthrop
    Photo by Brian Fox | ChompTalk

    The Florida Gators volleyball team is off to a historic start to their season. The Gators defeated Winthrop on Saturday afternoon in three-straight sets. They moved their record to 7-0 for only the seventh time in program history. Florida, who was ranked No. 3 heading into the weekend, hosted the Gainesville Invitational and kept their record perfect on the year.

    The Gators started hot in the first set of the match. Kennedy Martin led the way for Florida with three kills while four of her teammates chipped in one apiece. Florida jumped out to an early 9-3 lead and never looked back as they cruised to a 25-12 victory in the first set. Trinity Adams went on a 6-0 service run which provided a huge spark for the team.

    Moving to the second set, the Gators were once again executing on offense and defense early in the set. After the Florida lead increased to 9-3, the Eagles kept the set competitive when fell behind by two in a 16-14 deficit. However, the Gators were too much to handle. Following a timeout, they created their largest lead of the set when they grasped a 24-16 advantage. Winthrop would end the run and make things competitive before Florida took the 2-0 match lead. The team was led by AC Fitzpatrick with five kills in the set while Martin had four of her own.

    In the third and final set, Florida kept their foot on the gas. Although Winthrop kept things competitive early at 5-5, the Gators would later pull away. Florida won the set 25-15 after another impressive run after a timeout that resulted in a 7-3 run.

    The Gators offense was firing on all cylinders as Fitzpatrick led the match with 11 kills and Martin followed her with 10. Anna Dixon also got herself into the mix of things with six kills of her own. Martin and Adams each had two aces apiece on the night while Alexis Stuckey had one as well.

    Stuckey also had another impressive performance from the setter position. She dished out 26 assists while being the catalyst for the offense.

    On the defensive side of the net, Martin led the Gators with five blocks while Nnedi Okkamor chipped in four of her own. Elli McKissock led all players on the court in digs with 12.

    Following the win over Winthrop, Florida’s competition does not get any easier. The team will travel to Tallahassee to face rival Florida State. The matchup will be this Wednesday with first serve slated for 6 p.m. on the ACC Network.

  • VB: No. 3 Gators Look Sharp In Sweep Of Clemson
    Photo by Brian Fox | ChompTalk

    The Florida Gators once again played host for day two of the Gainesville Invitational. The matchup included the Tigers of Clemson and No. 3 nationally ranked Florida. The 5-2 Clemson team came in looking to shock Florida in their home arena. Meanwhile, the women in Orange and Blue would look to move to 6-0 and stay perfect on the season.

    The Gators came out with a high level of energy leading to two kills for AC Fitzpatrick. After a flat start to the match the previous night against Sacramento State, Florida was playing with more of a sense of urgency in set one vs. Clemson. Clemson weathered the storm early and would take the lead in the first set 12-11. Anna Dixon added positive contributions as she tallied 3 kills in the set.

    After an ace by Trinity Adams paired with a nasty tip over the net for a point by Gabrielle Essix, the Gators pushed ahead to an 18-14 lead set one. They would use their momentum to get the victory in the first set of the match 25-15.

    Moving to the second set, Clemson was looking to even the match 1-1. They jumped out to an early 5-2 lead in set two and seemed to be finding their way offensively. Then, Anna Dixon was left unblocked at the net for a huge kill for her team. Dixon followed that up with a sneaky tip to get the Gators right back into the set. The Gators would continue their offensive surge and go on a run led by three kills from Sofia Victoria and two for Alexis Stuckey.

    Florida now found themselves with a 16-10 lead in the second set. Clemson would fight back to cut the deficit to four with the score at 18-14. However, Kennedy Martin and Sofia Victoria were too much for the Tigers to handle as Florida closed out the match strong and eventually won set two 25-17 to gain a 2-0 edge in the match.

    The Gators would look to go for the sweep in the third and final set. Clemson was not ready to roll over and take the loss. The Tigers played with a desperate mentality with elimination on the back of their mind. They were in a similar position gaining an early advantage in the set once again over the Gators. Clemson took a 12-7 edge in set three.

    Kennedy Martin carried the team as they tried to creep back into the set. Sofia Victoria also chipped in with back-to-back kills as well as the Gators were working towards the sweep. Then, a much needed defensive play seemed to swing the momentum. A key block from Gabrielle Essix got the crowd back into the match. Alexis Stuckey followed up with a clutch ace to even the score at 18-18 in what would end up being the third and final set.

    It was a nail-biting final set that continuously went back and forth. As both teams displayed great competitiveness, the Gators firepower was simply too much for Clemson to handle. Although Clemson forced a win-by-two scenario, Florida pulled out the victory in set three. The sweep of Clemson moves the Gators to 6-0 on the season as they remain undefeated.

    Kennedy Martin was the offensive leader for the Gators. Martin had a versatile performance as she totaled 14 kills on the match while contributing nine blocks as well. Although Martin seemed to be the star of the night, it was truly a collective effort for UF in the win. AC Fitzpatrick, Anna Dixon and Sofia Victoria all had 8 kills apiece.

    Alexis Stucky looked sharp all night. As she continuously looked for multiple teammates to get involved throughout the match, she dished out a total of 37 assists. Stucky also dugout 10 balls defensively. After the game, Head Coach Mary Wise gave her thoughts on the ability Stucky has to get a diverse group of teammates involved. “The more diverse you offense is, the harder it is to defend… There were a couple deep balls that we struggled with but other than that our passes were terrific today and that’s why Alexis Stucky was able to get so many hitters involved.”

    Holding down the backcourt was once again Elli McKissock. McKissock was a leader on and off the court all night for Florida. Often rallying her team together during timeouts and in between points all while tallying 13 digs for her squad. Another player who had an elite night on defense was Gabrielle Essix. Essix made her presence felt at the net all night as she had 9 blocks which was good for a match high.

    It will be a quick turnaround for the Gators as the Gainesville Invitational continues on Saturday. No. 3 ranked Florida will play Winthrop tomorrow at 3 p.m.

  • Staff Picks: Gators vs McNeese State
    Photo by Chris Gardner | Getty Images

    The Florida Gators will open their home slate with a contest against FCS Southland Conference foe McNeese State Saturday evening in the Swamp.

    The Gators dropped a 24-11 decision at Utah to open the season as the team’s offense struggled to find a rhythm after being unable to establish a positive run game (to go along with several high impact penalties, as well).

    The following are our staff’s predictions for Florida vs McNeese State:

    Carson Euverard – Don’t freak out yet Gator fans (sometimes a rebuild has to look ugly before it gets pretty). This game won’t be a close one. Last week, McNeese State gave up 52 points in a loss to fellow FCS opponent Tarleton State. The Gators will establish their running game this week after a lackluster performance against Utah and Graham Mertz will throw for a few touchdowns. Billy Napier will have plenty of opportunity to get the backups in the game for this one. I hope to see limited personnel mistakes and penalties this weekend. Gators roll 56-10.

    Alyssa Britton-Harr – I believe after the Florida Gators loss to Utah Thursday, and with time to reassess what went wrong, they will come out strong against McNeese. This will be McNeese’s third time playing an SEC team since their 0-2 record against LSU in 2010 and 2021. Napier expressed during his press conference this week that they need to run the ball more effectively as they had 3.1 yards on called runs, which is not good enough. The Gators have a young team, and now that the team has the first game under their belt, it can be promising that it will be a good game. My projected score for Florida is to win, 27-10. The penalties they received in the first game are now lessons learned for many new players, and from a coaching standpoint, Napier understands what the team needs from him for them to succeed Saturday.

    Hugh Green – After Florida’s poor performance against Utah last Thursday, the Gators will be fired up to play a lesser opponent in McNeese State. The Florida players and coaching staff heard all the noise in the past week about their lackluster play in Salt Lake City, which will motivate them to take it to the Cowboys. One big area of the game that the Gators will improve upon is the running attack. Montrell Johnson and Trevor Etienne ran the ball a combined 10 times for 31 yards against the Utes. This is something that head coach Billy Napier will make a point of emphasis on Saturday. The Gator defense looked up to the task after Utah’s first play from scrimmage, allowing just 200 total yards after the 70-yard bomb. This defense will handle the McNeese State offensive attack. With all that being said, I believe Florida will breeze past the Cowboys. Florida, 38-10.

    Brian Fox –  Despite the deficiencies of the offense last week, Florida is the prohibitive favorite in Saturday’s home opener. Florida is so much of a favorite that Vegas didn’t even offer a betting line. Even the ESPN Matchup Predictor gives the Gators a 98.8% chance to beat McNeese State. McNeese State did just allow 52 points and 554 yards of offense against Tarleton State. The Gators will use this game to gain confidence and momentum heading into the SEC opener against Tennessee next week. Florida, 55-14.

    The Gators and Cowboys are scheduled to kickoff at 7:30 PM with the live broadcast airing nationally on ESPNU.

  • SOC: Gators Defeat Charlotte, Improve to 4-0-2 Overall
    Photo by Brian Fox | ChompTalk

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. – For the first time since 2010 the Florida Gators women’s soccer team opened their season unbeaten through six games with a 1-0 win against UNC Charlotte. The game was shortened by 8 minutes due to lightning in the area.

    The game was scoreless heading into the half but the Gators controlled most of the possession with three shots in the half.

    In the 51st minute, freshman Lena Bailey scored her third goal of the season after a spin move around the defender just outside the box. Oakley Rasmussen was credited with the assist.

    The defense was once again the driving factor of the game, with the 49ers having no shots the entire game.

    Goalkeeper Alexa Goldberg recorded her fourth clean sheet of the year.

    The Gators are on the road once again when they travel to Tallahassee to take on the fifth-ranked Florida State Seminoles. The game is on Sunday, September 10 at 3:30. The game will be broadcast on the ACC Network.

  • Florida Squeezes Past Sacramento State in Gators Invitational Opener
    Photo by Brian Fox | ChompTalk

    The Florida Gators volleyball program are currently hosting the Gators Invitational. In the opening match, the No. 3 ranked Gators played host to the Hornets of Sacramento State. Florida would look to stay undefeated and move to 5-0 on the season.

    Although the Gators came in as a Top-5 nationally ranked team, Sacramento State held a substantial lead in the first set. Florida fell behind 9-5 to start the match. Then, the Hornets came out with a great deal of energy and used it to their advantage.

    The team was able to claw offensively in the first set led by a collective offensive effort. However, the Hornets kept their foot on the gas and extended their lead to 19-14 in the first set. Despite the slow start for the Gators, back-to-back kills by Kennedy Martin and AC Fitzpatrick gave Florida some positive momentum. Although the team’s push was good enough to tie things up at 22-22, Sacramento State pulled away to take the first set 25-23.

    Sacramento State once again started the next set simply looking more energetic and competitive than Florida. But, AC Fitzpatrick had something to say about that. If there was any thought that the Gators came out looking flat, Fitzpatrick put them to bed. As she tallied up multiple kills in the second set, they found their biggest lead of the match as they gained a 15-11 edge over Sacramento State. As the team seemed to have flipped a switch, Kennedy Martin slammed the door on set 2 with a huge kill to win get the win 25-17.

    The Gators looked to be firing on all cylinders heading into the third set. As they quickly jumped out to a 5-0 lead, Fitzpatrick continued her elite performance as she forced a Sacramento State timeout after back-to back kills. Anna Dixon showed her versatile skillset throughout the third set. Dixon collected a block, kill, and an ace throughout the set. Florida continued to look much sharper than the previous two sets as their lead grew to 20-8. Then, the Gators closed out set number three with yet another big time kill by Fitzpatrick with a final score of 25-9.

    The pesky Hornets seemed to not go down without a fight in the fourth and final set. They jumped out to a 4-1 lead and looked to have their energy back. However, the momentum seemed to switch following a pair of blocks by Kennedy Martin, Anna Dixon, and AC Fitzpatrick. The crowd was suddenly a factor again as they tied the score 7-7. It was a tight contest for the entirety of the fourth set. Neither team could seem to find the edge as the score was tight the entire set. After a kill from Sofia Victoria tied the set at 16, both teams were battling it out. Sacramento State was able to go on a run to make it 22-18, which forced a timeout by Gators head coach Mary Wise. The adjustments seemed to not be enough as the Hornets got the win in set 4 with a 25-21 final score.

    The highly competitive affair drove the match to a winner take all fifth and final set. As both teams met during during the intermission, you could see the passion coming from both benches. It was going to come down to who wanted it more as both teams clearly came ready to play. The Gators took command of this set while Fitzpatrick and Martin continued to carry the load. Sometimes you just need your best players to will you to a victory and that is exactly what happened. Florida saw their lead in the set grow to 7-0 and looked to put the nail in the coffin. A collective group effort from players up and down the roster lifted the Gators to a 15-7 fifth set win and a 3-2 victory in the match.

    AC Fitzpatrick was the leader in kills for the Gators. The Penn State transfer had a true breakout performance as she set a career high in kills with 18. If she can continue to perform at this level, it will only add fuel to the fire for what is already a high-powered Florida offense.

    Kennedy Martin provided another impressive outing as she tallied 17 kills and 7 blocks. On the defensive end, Anna Dixon stole the show. As Dixon made key plays at the night all night, she found herself atop the leaders in blocks for the match. Elli McKissock held down the backcourt for Florida. McKissock tallied 23 digs and displayed her leadership ability as she rallied the troops.

    Alexis Stuckey dished out 44 assists and seemed to get all of her teammates involved. Stucky, who was getting stretched out in timeouts and in between sets, gutted it out for her team in the win.

    The Gators Invitational continues tomorrow as Florida will take on either Winthrop or Sacramento State. First serve is slotted for 4 p.m. from the Stephen C. O’Connell Center in Gainesville Florida.

  • SOC: Gators Draw Even With Kennesaw State, 1-1
    Photo by Brian Fox | ChompTalk

    ATLANTA – The Gators women’s soccer team (3-0-2) remains unbeaten to open the 2023 season following a 1-1 tie against the Kennesaw State University Owls.

    In the 24th minute, Florida freshman Megan Hinnenkamp found the back of the net for her team-leading third goal of the season. Tori Grambo’s through ball in the box found Hinnenkamp, who sent a left-footed shot to the far post.

    The Gators dominated possession for the most part but could not break through with the winning goal. The Gators outshot the Owls 16-4.

    In the 66th minute, the Owls scored their lone goal on a cross to the far post. Aila Swinton sent a low cross into Agata Giani, who made a sliding shot to equalize.

    The Owls’ goal was the first goal conceded by the Gators this season, snapping their four-game shutout streak. Keeper Alexa Goldberg played the entire game, finishing with no saves and one shot allowed.

    The Gators will carry their unbeaten record into their next match against the Charlotte 49ers. The game is in Charlotte on Thursday, September 7 and is set to kick-off at 5 p.m. on ESPN+.

  • VB: Gators Rout No. 5 Minnesota in Straight Sets
    Photo by Brian Fox | ChompTalk

    The matchup on Sunday afternoon featured two opponents nationally ranked inside the Top-10 as Florida swept Minnestoa, 3-0. The loss moves the Golden Gophers record to 2- 2 on the year. While Florida kept their record perfect and advance to 4-0. It was a loud and hostile environment inside the Stephen C. O’Connell Center for the Gators home-opener.

    The victory for the Gators marked the first time in program history that they have swept two Top-5 ranked teams in one week. UF looked strong early as they took the win in the first set 25-22. Sofia Victoria and Kennedy Martin set the tone early offensively. In the second frame, Florida kept their foot on the gas and won 25-17. Then, in the final set, the No. 8 Gators put away No. 5 Minnesota 25-23 in a highly competitive last frame.

    The Gators stayed hot to start the season, once again led by Kennedy Martin. She led the team with 15 kills during the match. Other key offensive contributors included AC Fitzpatrick, Sofia Victoria, and Anna Dixon, who each posted seven kills.

    Alexis Stucky kept the defense on their toes all afternoon long as she dished out 32 assists. Elli McKissock also had seven in the match. McKissock also was the catalyst on the defensive end for Florida. Totaling 15 digs during Sunday’s contest.

    The Gators will get some much needed rest after starting the season 4-0 for the 17th time in program history. Florida will host the Gator Invitational starting this Thursday. UF will be back in action at 7 p.m. as they take on Sacramento State at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center.

  • Gators Open Season With Dud Against No. 14 Utah
    Photo by Chris Gardner | Getty Images

    The Florida Gators football team debuted Thursday against the No. 14 Utah Utes. Florida beat Utah 29-26 last season and opened its 2023 season with a new quarterback, Graham Mertz. Utah quarterback Cameron Rising was expected to not play in the season’s first matchup due to his ACL injury during the Utes Rose Bowl last season. Rising did not dress out for the game, and backup Bryson Barnes started against the Gators. 

    Utah won the toss to start the game, wide receiver Trevor Etienne received the ball, and Florida brought in Graham Mertz. 

    The Gators started the game a little rocky, with many new faces on the team and multiple incomplete passes from Mertz. The struggle continued on defense when Barnes threw a 70-yard touchdown to Utah wide receiver Money Parks on the first play from scrimmage.

    Florida quickly gained momentum with a gain of 9-yards from wide receiver Eugene Wilson III and then another complete pass for 17-yards from Mertz to running back Montrell Johnson. The Gators, with the first spark of offense for the first time tonight, attempted a 32-yard field goal to put their first points on the scoreboard with 2:27 left in the first quarter, 7-3. 

    The depth and size that Florida head coach Billy Napier emphasized showed when Barnes threw an incomplete in which the Gators could cover two and leave no open windows for Barnes to throw a complete pass. 

    On offense, Mertz looked for a close touchdown with two complete passes to wide receiver Marcus Burke and tight end Johnathan Odom to close the first quarter. Mertz scrambled for 11-yards in an attempt for a first down but was struck by Utah, resulting in a fumble. Though the Gators recovered, the ensuing field goal was no good.

    Utah fired up Nate Johnson and saw the route to run after the Gators were in man coverage. Johnson ran in a touchdown for 27-yards to give the Utes a 14-3 lead over Florida. 

    Mertz was sacked for a loss of 12-yards for the second time in the game. Barnes continued to show out, and pressure from Florida kicked in where Barnes made several incomplete passes, but a 51-yard field goal attempt by Cole Becker pushed the Utes lead to 17-3 with 2:46.

    The Gators entered halftime trailing by a pair of touchdowns against Utah’s blowout offense. Utah dominated in the first half, and if the Gators can make complete passes, there is a chance for a switch-up in the second half. 

    Mertz failed to bring back the momentum in the second half after a miscommunicated throw to wide receiver Ricky Pearsall motioned an interception for Sione Vaki. Utah fans cheered, “We will rock you,” in the stadium as Barnes scrambled to the right field where Florida was nowhere to be found and ran in a 5-yard touchdown.    

    Mertz attempted plays to move the defense out wide, but the timing made it difficult for the Gators to get past Utah’s defensive line. Mertz was sacked again when trying to back out but was not quick enough. 

    Mertz’s pass to Odom moved the Gators down the field for 23-yards to close out the third quarter. Florida got a break with an automatic first down after pass interference from Utah. 

    Mertz took advantage and threw a 19-yard deep left pass touchdown to a six-foot-four Caleb Douglas. Florida went for a two-point conversion to Wilson and pushed their score to 24-11. 

    With a chance to score a touchdown, Mertz passed the ball to Pearsall, but it was overthrown. The incomplete pass was followed by a sack on Mertz from Utah Logan Fano, a leading freshman with his fifth sack of the night. 

    Mertz’s pass was blocked with 1:39 left in the game, which left Florida in a downhill battle in which they could not make a comeback and called the game final, 24-11, for the Gators’ first matchup.

  • Staff Picks: Gators at Utah
    Photo by Carly Mackler | Getty Images

    Florida opens the 2023 with a rare Thursday night battle in Salt Lake City against the No. 14 Utah Utes. The two teams squared off at the beginning of the 2022 season with Florida coming away victorious, 29-26.

    The Utes have won fourteen straight games at Rice-Eccles Stadium, dating back to 2020.

    The two teams are set to kickoff the new year at 8:00 PM EDT. ESPN will be broadcasting the game live.

    The following are our staff’s predictions for Florida’s matchup with Utah:

    Carson – The game should be a low-scoring one with the Gators trying to find their rhythm on offense and question marks surrounding Utah’s Cam Rising and his availability. The Florida running game will establish itself early but with limited experience in the receiver room, the Gators might still have some kinks to work out on offense. Utah hasn’t played P5 out-of-conference opponents well as of late, but being in Salt Lake City should give the Utes a slight edge. Gators cover the spread but fall 23-20.

    Alyssa – Florida will have a rough start with this being the first game, and how the dynamic of the team has shifted with a number of new players. The loss of Anthony Richardson might show in the first half, but I believe the Gators can make a comeback and hopefully upset Utah. Graham Mertz, has proved with his success in training camps he is ready to play ball and win the battle on the field against tough teams. The Gators will have a unified running ball game and a strong defensive line which will be crucial against Utah. Florida facing a team in the top-15 I also believe will give the Gators a better run for the season, and what they can expect for other teams. In the end I think Florida will pull out some game winning plays and take the victory. Florida, 30-24.

    Hugh – This will be a very tough test for Graham Mertz in his first start with the Gators going against Utah on the road. They went 6-0 at home last season so they are very good in front of their home crowd, which will be pumped and ready for revenge after Florida beat them last year. With that being said, I think the biggest factor that will play into the outcome of this game will be whether Cam Rising can play, and if he does, how much impact will he be able to have? After tearing his ACL in January, if he does play, I do not believe he will be at 100%. Because of this, I think the Gators will be able to pull off the upset in a close one. Florida, 31-27.

    Brian – The Gators have a lot working against them as they travel across the country to take on a team that opens the year in the Top-15 in the polls. If the opponent wasn’t enough, the elevation could prove treacherous, with Rice-Eccles Stadium positioned 4,637 feet above sea level. Utah enters Thursday’s game as a 6.5-point favorite. Since 2018, the Utes are 18-10 against the spread at home but just 5-11 (ATS) in non-conference games. That trend will continue in this game, but the Utes will pull out the dub. Utah, 24-20.

    What do you think the final score of the Florida-Utah game will be Thursday night?

    *All predictions were made before the reports that Utah QB Cam Rising would not be available.

  • VB: Gators Win Big in Sweep at No. 2 Stanford
    Photo by Brian Fox | ChompTalk

    The Gators women’s volleyball team has been firing on all cylinders so far in 2023. The team traveled to Stanford, California Tuesday night to take on the second-ranked team in the country. Florida, who was ranked No. 8 heading into the matchup, took down the Cardinal in three-straight sets.

    In the opening set of the match, the Gators looked sharp as they cruised to a 25-17 victory. During a thrilling second set, Stanford pushed UF to a win-by-two scenario that led to a 29-27 win for Florida. Then, the Gators used their momentum to close out the match with a 25-23 victory in the final set.

    For the fourth season in a row, UF has a 3-0 record to start the year. The win marked the seventh time in the history of the program that they have knocked up a Top-2 team in the nation.

    Kennedy Martin continues to be the stand out performer for the Gators. After earning AVCA Division I player of the week honors a week ago, the freshman put on another elite performance. Martin tallied 16 kills and 4 blocks on the match. Adding two aces to the stat sheet as well. She has now led the team in kills in all three of their matches to date.

    Kira Hutson and Sofia Victoria also provided positive contributions on the offensive end. The two outside hitters both totaled nine kills during Tuesday’s contest. Middle hitters, Gabrielle Essix and Anna Dixon, also chipped in with five kills each.

    The leading blockers for the match were Kennedy Martin with four, and Dixon with two. Alexis Stucky also put her defensive talents on display, totaling 12 digs. On offense, Stucky dished out 34 assists, good for a .324 clip. The sophomore’s double-double marks the sixth of her career and first in 2023.

    Ellie McKissock and Trinity Adams both made their presence felt on defense as well. The teammates contributed eight digs apiece during the match against No. 2 Stanford. The backcourt continues to look like a strength as the Gators get their season on the way.

    After two-straight road trips for the team, the Gators will return to Gainesville to prepare for their first home match of the year. Another top-10 matchup is slated for Sunday, as No. 5 Minnesota goes on the road to battle No. 8 Florida. First serve will be at 12 p.m. on ESPNU, from the Stephen C. O’Connell Center.