For 10 points in the second set, the Gators volleyball team was on the ropes as much as it has been since last December’s season-ending loss to Purdue.
No. 9 UF (3-0, 0-0 Southeastern Conference) defeated No. 25 Florida State (3-1, 0-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) on Tuesday night at the O’Connell Center, but it wasn’t as easy as the score might imply.
In a rematch from the second-round of last year’s NCAA Tournament, UF was down 9-1 in the second set of a match it eventually swept 3-0 (25-21, 25-22, 25-22). The deficit could easily be overlooked, but Gators coach Mary Wise said that should not be the case.
“We got some breaks that went our way, but it was pretty high-level volleyball,” she said. “No doubt we’ll have to see Florida State again.”
Senior Kelly Murphy led the way with a triple-double (12 kills, 17 assists and 10 digs) while the Gators hit .238 as a team.
“The main thing was just staying really focused and trying not to get lost in all of the chaos that was happening out there,” Murphy said.
Murphy trailed only libero Taylor Unroe (15) in digs for the Gators, as the redshirt freshman continued to impress teammates and Wise in the backcourt.
“Good things happen when Taylor’s touching the ball,” Wise said. “She has that ability to, in any rally, just get us back in system. She has an elite touch on the ball, both defensively and on passing.”
What was unusual about the in-state rivalry game was Florida’s slow starts in all three sets. The Gators trailed early in every frame largely due to some gutsy play by Seminoles redshirt freshman defensive specialist Katie Mosher, who recorded a game-high 17 digs.
“The piece that was really impressive was how good their freshman libero was,” Wise said. “I think that an Unroe-Mosher battle would be pretty fun to watch for the next four years.”
Florida fought back from both its biggest and latest deficit of the young season in the second set and third set, respectively.
The Gators have yet to lose a set in 2011 after opening the season with three victories against ACC competition.
Etc: Tuesday night’s attendance was 4,631, including 1,901 students — the highest count in UF volleyball history.
“Our students have been doing a really good job of showing up,” Murphy said. “We’ve never had fans like this, especially in the beginning of the season.”
The Gators will host Jacksonville and Florida Atlantic on Friday in the Campus USA Credit Union Invitational.
Florida senior Kelly Murphy led the Gators with a triple-double (12 kills, 17 assists and 10 digs) in the team’s win against Florida State on Tuesday in the O’Connell Center. The Gators have not dropped a set this season.
