The Gators went on a 3-0 run on Sunday to close out a forced fifth set against No. 3 Pittsburg, clinching their first victory under head coach Ryan Theis. The game marked a new chapter for Florida’s program, and the weekend gave valuable insight that will help the team better prepare for its upcoming schedule.
“Playing really good teams in the beginning, I always say we are going to see what’s broken,” Theis said. “So yeah, we have things to get better at, but one thing I am now aware of is that these guys have character, grit and they are never going to give up.”
The AVCA First Serve Tournament at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Nebraska, hosted the season openers for some of the top teams in the country, including Florida.
The Gators were not eased into this year and started their season against some of the most challenging opponents they will face all year. Stanford is regarded as the winningest program in all of Women’s College Volleyball with nine National Championship titles. Meanwhile, Pitt has clinched six of the last eight ACC Championships.
To open their season, the Gators took a 1-0 lead over the Cardinal on Friday. However, the game began to slip away with tough swings from the Cardinal offense, including All-American senior outside hitter Elia Rubin, who logged 14 kills and 17 digs, proving too much and too consistent for Florida to keep up.
Florida’s performance from behind the line was a glaring issue that it would have to fix going into its second match. Redshirt freshman defensive specialist Ella Vogel claimed the only service ace from the Gators' side to combat 11 service errors.
On Sunday, Florida seemed to strengthen their serving, tallying eight service aces. The fifteen service errors still suggest that consistency will be a focus for the Gators as they enter the rest of their season.
Florida’s tenacity and energy are what it had to fall back on, setting it apart enough to power it through a 2-1 deficit against a top-three team in the nation. A strong offensive arsenal was another crucial piece of its success.
UF redshirt sophomore outside Jordyn Byrd emerged as Florida’s powerhouse pin hitter with 40 kills on the weekend, achieving a career-high 23 kills on Sunday. She was also named the match MVP following the win.
UF SEC Freshman of the Year Jaela Auguste commanded the middle position with 19 kills and contributed on the defensive end with eight blocks on Sunday. UF freshman opposite Milica Vidacic, redshirt freshman Kira Hutson and sophomore middle blocker Alec Rothe also made major kills and timely blocks for the Gators.
Although the Cardinal led Florida almost across the board, on Sunday, UF seemed to find its rhythm, topping Pitt with 60 kills, eight aces, 70 digs and a .204 hitting percentage.
The Gators’ effort was enough to combat reigning AVCA National Player of the Year and ACC Player of the Year Pitt junior right side Olivia Babcock, who racked up 25 kills and three aces. She also reached a career milestone of 1000 kills.
Auguste will continue working on her connection with All-American UF redshirt junior setter Alexis Stucky, a chemistry that will make a significant impact on Florida’s success this season.
Stucky excelled at setting up her team during the tournament, totaling 83 assists. Her effectiveness also comes from her versatility, defensive skills and offensive prowess, as she picks her spots well and often wins jousts at the net.
“There are definitely things that we need to go back and work on, but it’s a great start for the team,” Stucky said. “We are only going to get better, so this was a really good showing for us.”
With her first tournament at the college level now behind her, UF freshman libero Lily Hayes proved to be a stronghold on defense with a career-high 21 digs across all five sets on Sunday. She also collected 12 on Friday and will target an upward trajectory throughout the season.
Florida also appears well-rounded with senior defensive specialist Emily Canaan and Vogel contributing to the defensive side. Balance and consistency will be the keys to the Gators' success this season as they continue to face firsts and changes with a new program.
UF takes on PVK Olymp Praha for its exhibition match on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center. Its regular season resumes against Norfolk State at 1 p.m. Sunday at the O’Dome.
Contact Ava DiCecca at adicecca@alligator.org. Follow her on X @avadicecca24.
