Gators Volleyball Rides Ups and Downs Into Senior Night vs. Texas
Florida volleyball’s season has been full of ups and downs, sitting at a 13-8 overall and 8-4 SEC record. With just two home matches left in coach Ryan Theis’s first season, it’s the perfect time to take a trip down memory lane to see how the Gators got to this point ahead of senior night against Texas on Friday at 7 p.m.
Florida was once ranked as high as 11th by the AVCA but now is out of the Top 25 for the second time this season.
Regardless, the Gators still stand at fourth in the conference between the Longhorns (third) and Tennessee (five), while Kentucky and Texas A&M lead the SEC. These positions are subject to change before the SEC Tournament, which begins Nov. 21 in Savannah, Georgia.
It all started with a 1-1 weekend at the AVCA First Serve Showcase in Lincoln, Nebraska, as the Gators lost to Stanford in four sets and upset Pitt in five. In the match, outside hitter Jordyn Byrd cemented her name as one to look out for this season, recording 23 kills against the Panthers.
After transferring from Texas, Byrd, a redshirt sophomore, made her first career appearances right off the bat, marking 40 kills on 98 attacks in the two matches in Lincoln. The performances landed her a spot on the AVCA All-First Serve Team.
The Gators continued the season with an opportunity to host PVK Olymp Praha, a professional Czech club team, for an exhibition match. After traveling to Europe to train in the preseason, Florida welcomed this squad, which Theis said is not common for teams to come to this side of the Atlantic.
While abroad, Florida also signed freshman opposite hitter Milica Vidačić from Serbia. Vidačić, a powerful hitter who has not gotten as much playing time while adjusting to the American style of play, has recorded 118 kills this season with a career-high 18 against Alabama on Sept. 28.
After the first weekend, Florida won three straight before getting swept by North Carolina, which was the turning point of the season. The Gators hit just 15.5% with 19 attack and 11 service errors.
Florida went 3-4 for the next month with notable five-set losses to Mississippi State at home and at LSU. On Oct. 6, the Gators dropped out of the AVCA Top 25 for the first time since 1991.
Since then, the Gators are 6-2, including an upset over Tennessee in five sets on the road. In the Oct. 15 match, setter Alexis Stucky achieved a double-double, recording 52 assists and 11 digs. Byrd also made her mark, tallying 23 kills after a slow start. She now sits on the AVCA Player of the Year Watch List and has 320 of Florida’s 1,143 total kills, leading the rest of the Gators by over 100.
Most recently, Florida lost unexpectedly to South Carolina (9-13, 3-9) in four sets in Columbia. Errors once again led to the Gators’ demise, as they committed 23 on the attack and 15 behind the service line. This loss knocked the Gators back out of the top 25.
Florida now looks ahead to Texas Friday night before its final home match of the season on Nov. 12., when it faces the Texas A&M Aggies.
Category: Gators Volleyball, NCAA, SEC, Volleyball
