As the Wildcats held a five-point lead and match advantage, the Gators knew one mistake could end the game. The score stood 23-16 in set four and one successful play would bring the Wildcats to set point.
Gator freshman outside hitter Kennedy Martin knew it was time for her to do what she did best. Martin hit 27 total kills in the game. She struck her final two kills across the court and single-handedly kept the Gators alive, 23-18.
But Florida senior outside hitter AC Fitzpatrick struggled to hold the momentum as she couldn’t get past the Wildcats’ brick wall defense and committed an attack error.
The Gators stood ready to deflect the game-ending serve, but the Wildcat’s kill was too strong and ultimately called the match a Florida loss.
The No. 20 Florida Gators (14-7, SEC 6-6) fell to the No. 14 Kentucky Wildcats (13-7, 11-1 SEC) 3-1 in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center.
Florida capitalized on Kentucky’s mistakes and secured an early 8-5 lead in set one. The Wildcats mounted an offensive streak to tie the score 11-apiece. Martin briefly reclaimed the lead with three kills, only to sacrifice it to numerous attack errors.
The Wildcats hit the game’s first service ace across the court and maintained their three-point lead. Fitzpatrick and junior middle blocker Garbrielle Essix closed the score gap with a dual front-row block to tie the score 22-apiece.
In the closing rallies, UF forced another attack error and climbed back ahead 23-22. But Kentucky called a timeout and followed with a three-point scoring streak made up of two kills and a Martin attack error. The Wildcats took set one 25-23.
The Gators’ rough start didn’t plague them for long. Kentucky hit seven kills in the set while Florida recorded almost double at 13. Florida kicked off set two with a seven-point scoring streak marked by their first service ace of the day by senior libero Elli McKissock.
Kentucky struggled to bounce back from their ten point deficit, but Florida’s error-filled offense awarded them points. Essix launched a serve directly to the net and followed with an attack error from graduate student setter Kennedy Muff to offer the Wildcats two points.
A ball handling error by Kentucky fifth-year middle blocker Azhani Tealer brought the Gators to match point 24-18. The Wildcats tallied two more points with a kill and an attack error but Martin’s 15th kill of the night wrapped the set up with a 25-20 UF win.
Set three went back and forth until Kentucky took off with a number of deep-centered kills. The Gators trailed by four when Martin struck with a fierce kill, but the Gators’ lacking defense kept them behind 12-7.
Gator defensive specialist Trinity Adams served as Florida’s second service ace and began to close the scoring gap. Okammor and Victoria deflected a Wildcat serve and brought the score to 19-14, Kentucky lead.
UF failed to recover from its deficit in the closing minutes of the set. As the Gators trailed by three, Victoria put two points on the board with a kill and a Kentucky service error. But Florida then committed a service error of their own and fell to a strong Wildcat kill to call the set a 25-22 loss.
Set four was a back-and-forth as Florida fought to stay alive. Despite an early three-point lead, the Gators fell behind when the Wildcats embarked on a four-point scoring streak. Essix kept them close with two kills but their defense crumbled under the Wildcats’ overpowering offense.
Off a slim two-point lead, the Wildcats triggered an offensive 4-0 scoring run with three consecutive kills and a service ace to make the score 19-13. Muff forced a block error with a strong kill, and Victoria tallied another Florida point with her own resolute kill.
The game closed with two Wildcats points. Fitzpatrick suffered an attack error from the Wildcats’ strong block, and Kentucky senior outside hitter Reagan Rutherford wrapped the match up with a kill. The Gators lost set four 25-18.
Florida will play the LSU Tigers in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center at 7 p.m. Friday. The game will be broadcast on the SEC Network.
Contact Krisha Sanghavi at ksanghavi@alligator.org. Follow her on Twitter at @krishasang.
Krisha Sanghavi is a third-year public relations and economics major. In her free time, she loves cheering on Miami sports teams and spending time with her friends.
