A combination of team and individual errors led to the Gators’ first Southeastern Conference loss of 2013.
Missouri dominated Florida on Sunday in Columbia, Mo., as the Gators lost in four sets, 23-25, 23-25, 25-23, 18-25. It was UF’s first loss since by Penn State swept the Gators on Sept. 8.
“They are not the leading team in the country in hitting percentage by mistake,” UF associate coach David Boos said of Missouri before the match.
“They are really good at what they do.”
Missouri’s .303 hitting percentage and only 14 attack errors easily surpassed Florida’s hitting clip of .237 and 24 errors. Although the Gators had eight service aces — the Tigers recorded nine — they also committed seven serving errors.
“It was a close match,” coach Mary Wise said in a postgame radio interview. “Just look at the numbers.
“The difference was that Missouri was insistent more ... Whether that was off serve receive or transition digs and our ball control just wasn’t at level it needs to be to beat this good (of) a team on the road.”
Florida dropped the first set of the match against Missouri, just like it had in Fayetteville, Ark., during Friday’s match against Arkansas.
The Gators came back from the deficit in four sets against the Razorbacks but could not duplicate those results in Columbia.
But the high-pressure environment did not affect freshman right-side hitter Alex Holston, who reached a career high of 17 kills with only three attack errors.
“Alex played very well for us,” Wise said. “We’ve got to figure out how to get her the ball sooner and earlier in sets.”
Holston was up against Missouri’s star freshman and last week’s SEC Freshman of the Week, Carly Kan.
“What a baller,” Wise said. “[Kan is] a game changer.”
In the second set, two attack errors from sophomore Ziva Recek gave Missouri an early lead. The Gators were behind by as many as eight points. A kill and an ace by Holston and junior Taylor Unroe, respectively, closed the gap to 19-20.
Florida rallied to tie the game on a kill by Recek. But it was not enough. Missouri took the second set and a 2-0 advantage.
The Gators had a lead in the third set until the 17th point. The Tigers rallied to tie the score at 23, but UF stayed alive and earned the next two points to win the set.
Florida’s dropped fourth set sealed its second defeat of the season and first loss to Missouri since the team joined the SEC.
“This was a great SEC match,” Wise said.
“These teams went toe-to-toe, and as the set scores indicated, it was very close.”
A radio broadcast contributed to this report.
Follow Erica A. Hernandez on Twitter @EricaAlyssa.
Alex Holston blocks the ball during Florida’s three-set win against Texas A&M on Oct. 4 in the O’Connell Center.
