Volleyball is an action-packed sport full of hits, sets and spikes. Yet for those less knowledgeable of the game, things can get confusing.
But all it takes is some simple set-ups, key vocabulary and a little demonstration to make the courtside match easily understandable to those in the stands.
One particular play used in the game is a "go eight-two," which is used to not only distract the other team but to isolate a player in order to get a ball.
UF outside hitter Kristy Jaeckel compared the play to another common sports move.
"It's almost like a basketball lay-up," Jaeckel said. "We use it in pretty much any game. It gives us different angles to hit and a different look for them."
The play consists of four main players. The outside hitter goes to the left side of the court and passes it to the setter.
Meanwhile, the middle hitter sets the ball after she goes behind the setter.
When the right side hitter transitions to the middle, the other team gets distracted, and the middle hitter spikes the ball.
"A good time to use it would be in transition or when the ball is in play," Jaeckel said.
Plays like these allow the team to effectively execute moves that allow them to go for the kill or get the ball to the floor, resulting in a point.
"A big thing is communication," Jaeckel said. "It's the hitters that are calling the sets that they want."
See the Gators use this move against Kentucky tomorrow night at 7 in the O'Connell Center.
Kristy Jaeckel is a senior outside hitter for the UF volleyball team.
