The 15th-ranked Florida volleyball team opened its 2024 Southeastern Conference schedule against the Oklahoma Sooners in Norman and escaped with a dramatic 3-2 win on Friday night.
The Gators rallied back from a six-point deficit in the fifth set to give the home team a loss in its first-ever match as a member of the SEC. The overall scoreline from the league matchup inside McCasland Field House was 25-21, 19-25, 18-25, 25-18, 15-13.
Offensively, a trio of Gators finished with double-digit kills, led by All-American Kennedy Martin with 18, followed by AC Fitzpatrick (17) and Isabel Martin (13). All-American setter Alexis Stucky served up 44 assists in her second full match back while Taylor Parks added five and Elli McKissock chipped in four.
Defensively, Florida amassed eight team blocks, with Jaela Auguste recording six block assists to lead the way for the seventh time this season. Stucky had four and Alec Rothe (2), K. Martin (2), Fitzpatrick (1) and Isi Martin (1) combined for six block assists.
Elli McKissock served as the backcourt captain and accounted for 13 of Florida’s 35 digs, with Emily Canaan adding eight in the five-setter spot. Behind the service line, UF dropped 12 aces behind Stucky’s season-high four; McKisscok (3), K. Martin (two), Canaan (1), Emerson Hoyle (1) and Parks (1) all recorded at least one each as well.
The Orange and Blue are now 10-2 overall and 1-0 in conference play this fall. The Sooners, on the other hand, are now 6-3 and 0-1 in their first year of SEC competition.
Up Next for Florida
The Gators welcome the 12th-ranked Kentucky Wildcats to Gainesville on Sunday, Sept. 29, for their SEC home opener. The conference battle is set for 1 p.m. ET inside the O’Connell Center and can be watched on ESPN and heard on 98.1FM/850AM.
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