Florida was down three with 25 seconds left in the game, and Virginia Tech had the ball. In a scramble, the Gators needed to foul. But the one to do it was Liv McGill, who already had four. She left the court with the game on the line.
Florida (8-2) traveled to Blacksburg, Virginia, to face Virginia Tech (7-2) and defend its four-game win streak, but the Hokies had other plans. In the end, the Gators lost 68-64 in an intense contest that handed them their second loss of the season.
Virginia Tech shot out of the gate with ferocity and ran up an early eight-point lead off of fastbreak plays following Gator misses and turnovers. Head coach Kelly Rae Finley called an early timeout to reorganize her team.
After, sophomore guard Liv McGill, junior guard Laila Reynolds and freshman center Gift Ezekiel jump-started the offense. They chipped away at the early deficit until the Gators tied the game at 19-19 by the end of the first quarter. From there, the game turned into a back-and-forth battle.
McGill carried the Gators offensively from start to finish, attacking the lane, drawing contact and burying timely shots on her way to a 30-point night, marking her seventh 20-plus point game of the season. She ended with three rebounds, three assists and three steals.
Reynolds provided steady support, consistently finding seams in the Virginia Tech defense for key layups that kept Florida within striking distance late. She produced 10 points, one rebound, two assists and three steals.
Bench production was a major factor in keeping the Gators afloat after the slow start. Ezekiel delivered a strong defensive presence with a career-high six rebounds and four points before fouling out. Meanwhile, freshman forward Nyadieng Yiech added energy on both ends, including a momentum-shifting three-pointer in the second quarter. She ended with four rebounds and a steal.
However, Florida’s 22 turnovers fed Virginia Tech’s transition game, allowing the Hokies to turn mistakes into points at crucial stretches. Twenty-two personal fouls compounded the issue, stripping the Gators of depth in the fourth quarter. Ezekiel and McGill both fouled out, leaving Florida without key contributors down the stretch.
The Gators’ difficulty staying out of foul trouble allowed Virginia Tech to convert free throws and maintain control in the closing minutes.
Virginia Tech countered Florida’s pushes with steady offensive and defensive production. Junior forward Carys Baker powered the Hokies with 23 points and 10 rebounds, serving as the most consistent threat on the floor all night.
Hokies graduate guard Mel Daley added 12 points, four rebounds and a steal, including key free throws and late-game composure that helped secure the win.
Even so, Florida stayed within a possession in the final minute thanks to McGill’s deep three and Reynolds’ late drive. But without McGill on the floor after her fifth foul, the Gators couldn’t force the stop they needed, and Virginia Tech closed the game out at the free-throw line.
Florida travels back home to challenge South Alabama (6-1) at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center at 2 p.m. Sunday.
Contact Isis Snow at isnow@alligator.org. Follow her on X @isis_snoww.
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.
