From the opening serve, Florida’s sophomore outside hitter Jordyn Byrd swung with purpose, racking up points for her team.
In the third set, the ball went up, and Byrd hit down, sealing the sweep over Ohio State with her 15th kill of the night.
Florida (4-1) beat Ohio (1-3) 3-0 at Covelli Center in Columbus, Ohio, Sunday afternoon. UF kept swinging and, regardless of the Buckeyes’ efforts, the ball kept dropping.
The Gators’ offense remained relentless throughout the match, with big plays from Byrd, who led the team in kills, and sophomore outside hitter Aniya Madkin.
Madkin finished the day with 11.5 points, registering 11 kills on 24 attempts and hitting an impressive .417. She trailed Ohio State’s kill leader, junior outside hitter Hannah Jones, by just one.
Jones had a strong performance for the Buckeyes, finishing with 15 kills on 30 attempts, notching a .367 hitting percentage. Despite her efforts, Ohio State struggled to match the Gators’ intensity, especially as the match progressed.
UF’s starting lineup looked a bit different for Florida, with sophomore setter Taylor Parks earning a starting position over junior setter Alexis Stucky. Parks impressed in Florida’s previous match against the University of South Florida on Tuesday, registering seven assists and three digs.
Her first start this season was a key moment, as she set the tone for Florida's offensive rhythm. Parks tallied 35 assists in the match, spreading the ball to hitters like Byrd, Madkin and sophomore outside hitter Alec Rothe.
Rothe contributed six kills on 17 attempts, hitting .176 and playing a critical role in Florida's offensive balance.
Ohio State had some bright spots, particularly from freshman middle blocker Kaia Castle. Castle had a solid game, finishing with eight kills on 12 attempts, hitting .500. She also added three blocks, contributing 9.5 points overall.
Her performance in the middle kept Ohio State competitive, and her offensive efficiency was a positive addition for the Buckeyes.
In the end, Florida completed the sweep with a 25-18 third-set win, finishing strong as Byrd’s 15th kill ended the match. While Ohio State showed moments of fight, especially in stretches during each set, they ultimately couldn’t recover from mistakes in key moments and the Gators’ early offensive pressure.
Florida continues its non-conference road trip against North Carolina (4-0) at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
Contact Isis Snow at isnow@alligator.org. Follow her on X @snow_isisUF.
Isis is a junior sports journalism student and is the volleyball beat reporter for fall 2025. This is her third semester with The Alligator. She enjoys reading, playing basketball and weight lifting in her free time.
