Kristy Jaeckel is a killing machine.
The senior outside hitter was honored prior to Friday night’s 3-0 (25-21, 25-20, 29-27) victory against Arkansas for recording her 1,000th career kill earlier this season.
And at the rate she was going against the Razorbacks (10-7, 2-4 Southeastern Conference), hitting 2,000 before the end of the night did not seem all that unrealistic.
“There were broken plays where she just raised up and hit a great shot,” coach Mary Wise said. “What Kristy’s doing and what we have to get more of our players — our pin hitters, especially — to do is to take what the blockers give you.
“She’s being very patient, she’s seeing the block, she’s hitting around the block and doing a great job of it.”
Jaeckel paced the Gators’ offense with 15 kills, marking the 11th time this season she has led the team in that category.
She also posted a .433 hitting percentage and ranked second among all Gators with six digs, helping UF shore up its defense.
“We’re trying to get better at when the other team is out of system, trying to be better defending that ball,” Wise said.
Florida (12-3, 5-1 SEC) won the block battle 9-7, but failed to clinch the digs category, recording just 35 compared to Arkansas’s 38.
Joining Jaeckel with a stellar outing of her own was Betsy Smith, who continues to take advantage of her increased role this season.
Smith hit an errorless .750, recorded nine kills, and recorded a key block assist with junior Tangerine Wiggs, which put the Gators up 28-27 in the third set.
“She just continues to make plays,” Wise said. “Her hitting window is getting bigger and bigger.
“When she first came to us, it was very small and the ball had to be perfectly set for her to terminate, but now Betsy’s playing with confidence—every ball up there, she swings and thinks it’s going to be a kill.”
One aspect of the game in which Florida saw improvement was their start to the match.
The Gators recorded a .406 hitting percentage and just two errors in the opening frame, but as the match progressed, their numbers declined.
UF hit .312 with five errors in the second set and then followed that performance by hitting at a .250 clip with seven errors in the third and decisive frame.
“In set three, that was more indicative of how well Arkansas blocked,” Wise said. “We took some of those impatient swings, but credit Arkansas — they made those blocks.”
