Everything seemed to be going in Florida’s favor at the end of the fifth set against Wisconsin. Leading the Badgers 14-13, the Gators were one point away from tasting their second upset win in as many days.
However, a firing Badgers offense proved too much for Florida down the stretch, and the Gators had little room for error, bogged down by four service errors in the crucial final set.
Florida (2-1) ultimately fell to No. 5 Wisconsin (2-3) in a thrilling five-set match, taking its first loss of the season at the UW Field House in Madison, Wisconsin.
Early on in the first set, it was unclear who would dominate the match. Florida played a back-and-forth frame and didn't let the Badgers capture the lead for long.
But after an 11-11 tie, Wisconsin took four of the next five points, and it refused to give up the advantage. The Gators’ errors proved costly, giving away several points with four service and three attack errors throughout the set.
The Badgers remained in control the rest of the set. Florida crept closer at 24-21, but Wisconsin closed the set with a kill by middle blocker Lynney Tarnow. The Badgers’ offense grew in consistency as the opening frame progressed, with six different players combining for 14 overall kills in the set.
Tarnow and outside hitter Audrey Flanagan led Wisconsin with four kills each, while outside hitters Grace Egan and Eva Travis recorded two apiece. Kymora Scott and Charlie Fuerbringer also recorded one each.
The Gators took a quick 7-3 lead in the second frame following a stunted first.
Opposite hitter Logan King led the offense with four kills and an ace, helping the Gators hold on to their advantage. Wisconsin fought back, but Florida consistently answered, ending the set at 25-20.
The Badgers regained control in the third set, capitalizing on their offense to take a 25-19 win. Egan led the offense with five kills, with the team recording an overall 15 kills to Florida’s nine.
Florida forced a fifth set after taking the crucial fourth. The Badgers faced a seven-point deficit before clawing back. UF senior Kamryn Chaney added a kill down the stretch to put the Gators in prime position to put the fourth set to rest. The 6-foot-1 outside hitter came out of Wednesday with 22 kills and helped Florida muscle its way to a 26-24 set victory.
The Gators had one last chance to clinch another victory over a ranked opponent for the second night in a row, but Wisconsin wasn't willing to give up the win. Florida took a 14-13 lead, and right as Flanagan tied it with a kill, an attack error by Leban clinched the Badgers’ victory.
For Florida, Chaney led the match with 22 kills, while Rothe hit a match-high 0.444% with 10 kills and a career-high 11 blocks. Making a difference defensively for the Gators, Lily Hayes finished the game with a team-high 18 digs.
Despite the loss, Florida’s performance gives a promising outlook for the rest of the schedule as the Gators have produced strong showings against two ranked opponents early in the season.
Florida will travel to Waco, Texas, and face No. 20 Baylor on Saturday in another ranked road bout. First serve is set for 2 p.m. ET.
Contact Sofia Alamo at salamo@alligator.org. Follow her on X at @alamosofiaa.
Sofia Alamo is a Sports Journalism freshman at UF and the university’s Women’s Tennis beat reporter. Her favorite sports are soccer and tennis, and she aspires to be a sports broadcaster in the future.
