Florida traded a three match winning streak for two straight losses this weekend. Facing two top 10 teams in the nation back-to-back, the Gators failed to put any points on the scoreboard.
The No. 16 Florida Gators (13-5, 8-4 SEC) dropped 4-0 to the No. 2 Texas A&M Aggies (19-3, 10-1 SEC) on Saturday night in College Station, Texas.
The match was originally set to begin at 1 p.m. ET, but inclement weather prevented that start time. Hours later, both teams took the court in a very delayed contest.
The Aggies' three nationally ranked pairs applied pressure to the Gators in doubles.
Florida’s top-ranked duo No. 22 Xinyi Nong and Nikola Daubnerova, looked to win a fourth doubles match in a row, but couldn’t do it against No. 18 Lucciana Perez and Mia Kupres. The Gators pair fell 6-2 against the Aggies.
But the Gators fought back. Brooke Black and Valery Gynina handed a 6-2 loss to Violeta Martinez and Anna Perelman.
India Houghton and Lucie Pawlak also started with a quick lead. However, the Gators couldn’t keep up with the Aggies’ Reed Lexington and Daria Smetannikov, ultimately falling 7-5.
After taking the doubles point, the Aggies refused to slow down.
The Gator freshman Pawlak fell apart in a 6-4, 6-3 contest to Smetannikov.
Soon after, No. 47 Paskauskas followed. The Florida sophomore lost the match 6-3, 6-3 to No. 124 Reed.
The loss ended all hope for the Gators, who were looking to make a comeback win against another Texas team.
With a 4-4 away record, the Gators have struggled to clinch victories outside of the Alfred A. Ring complex this season.
The Gators will return home to face Vanderbilt on Thursday. First serve against the Commodores is set for 5 p.m.
Contact Sofia Alamo at salamo@alligator.org. Follow her on X @alamosofiaa.
Sofia Alamo is a sophomore sports journalism student in her fourth semester at The Alligator. She is the volleyball beat reporter. She enjoys spending time with family and watching sports with friends.
