Mary Wise preaches that video doesn’t lie.
It was the message Florida’s volleyball coach emphasized this week after leaving back-to-back road victories displeased with the performance of her back-row defense.
“It’s some defensive deficiencies,” she said. “Not so much by lack of effort, but maybe lack of focus.”
Against Auburn and Georgia, Florida’s offense was dynamic, but digs were down.
Redshirt freshman libero Taylor Unroe recorded 15 combined digs in the two games — an area the Gators have struggled with as of late.
Florida ranks last in the Southeastern Conference in digs, a number it would like to pick up as it returns home tonight at 7 to take on Arkansas.
“Not everything is going to be perfect all the time,” Unroe said. “Practice this week was a lot of defense.”
Defensive woes are puzzling for the Gators. After being forced to play Erin Fleming at the libero position in 2010 due to an injury to Unroe, the Gators were supposed to be a vastly improved backcourt team in 2011.
But this year, Unroe is averaging slightly less digs per set (3.55) than Fleming (3.61) did a season ago. SEC digs leader Stephanie Klefot averages 4.71 digs per set for Kentucky.
“The learning curve is when they can have unconscious competence,” Wise said. “So they can make the play without having to go through it step by step. That takes experience.”
Experience is one thing Florida’s back row lacks. The Gators’ three regulars at defensive specialist are all in their first year of collegiate competition. While players have commended Unroe, Holly Pole and Madison Monserez for playing fearlessly, their inexperience has shown through in the film room and on the court.
“They’re still getting used to the speed of the game,” junior Tangerine Wiggs said. “When we learn things, we don’t really have time to sit down and digest it.”
Wiggs said the freshmen struggle translating what they see on video to adjustments on the court, the same way she and Chanel Brown did last season.
Maybe the biggest concern for the back row has been transitioning plays forward.
The UF front court has been dominant, leading the conference in hitting percentage and blocks while boasting two players, Kelly Murphy and Kristy Jaeckel, who have won AVCA National Player of the Week honors already this season.
Wiggs said Florida fans can expect to see improvements in on-court communication going forward after a defense-heavy week of practice.
“Once we get that figured out, we’ll be a completely different defensive team than we are right now,” Unroe said.
Wise wants all blame for communication issues directed to the coaching staff, admitting the importance of an integrated front and back hadn’t been stressed enough before this week.
“We were all just a little bit disappointed,” Jaeckel said. “But we can use what we’ve learned to get better.”
Florida redshirt freshman Taylor Unroe (right) averages 3.55 digs per set, and as a team the Gators are last in the Southeastern Conference in total digs.
