Less than 24 hours after 15 service errors cost the Gators a chance to beat No. 1 Penn State, a pair of service aces brought them a measure of redemption.
With No. 4 Florida’s (6-1) match against No. 5 Texas (5-3) tied 14-14 in the fifth set, Gator freshman Chanel Brown stepped up and delivered back-to-back aces, lifting her team to a 3-2 (25-11, 27-25, 16-25, 20-25, 14-16) victory in its final match of the Big Four Classic Saturday in Gainesville.
“I just came out like it was any other serve,” Brown said. “I came out calm and relaxed because we’re so team-oriented and I knew we had each other’s backs the whole way though.”
Brown led the way with four aces as the team recorded a season-high nine, providing the offense with a vital lift on a night where it hit just .159.
Florida’s attack seemed lifeless and uncoordinated for large portions of the match, but it was saved by strong serving and blocking, as the Gators recorded double-digit blocks for the fifth time this season with 11.
“Our communication was definitely down and I think our energy was down,” junior Kelly Murphy said. “Texas definitely got in a rhythm and set us back on our heels a little bit.”
The match didn’t start out that way, however, as the Gators stormed to a 25-11 first- set win.
The Longhorns hit -.125 in the opening game, recording just six kills compared to nine errors thanks partly to Florida’s two blocks and three aces.
But Texas would steadily improve their attack from there, increasing their hitting percentage by at least .100 in each of the next three sets.
“In sets three and four (Texas) got into a very good rhythm and were getting first swing kills at a high percentage,” coach Mary Wise said.
In those two sets the Longhorns hit a combined .391 and outscored the Gators 50-36.
Their offensive emergence corresponded with Florida’s offensive decline, as the Gators hit a combined .119 in the third and fourth sets after hitting .241 in the first two.
Neither team was strong offensively in the fifth, but the Gators were able to pull out the win thanks to three aces, three blocks, and an abundance of desire.
“When a team comes at you like that it all comes down to how hard you’re going to fight and how much you want to win,” Murphy said.
In other Big Four Classic action, No. 2 Stanford (7-0) ended No. 1 Penn State’s (7-1) NCAA-record 109-match win streak with a 3-0 (28-26, 25-12, 25-18) win in the tournament’s final match.
Senior Alix Klineman led the Cardinal with 16 kills en route to being named the tournament’s MVP.
