The match was tilted towards the Tigers after they won back-to-back in sets two and three. However, Milica Vidačić led the Gators’ comeback in the fourth set with four momentum-shifting kills, forcing a fifth set.
But then LSU’s Jurnee Robinson emerged.
LSU (9-6, 2-2 SEC) rolled through the fifth with a 9-0 run and closed out the match 3-2 against Florida (7-6, 2-2 SEC) Sunday afternoon at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge.
LSU junior outside hitter Jurnee Robinson, who finished with a career high 34 kills, 12 digs and another career high seven blocks, made the difference down the stretch. After nearly bringing the Tigers to a comeback in the fourth set, Robinson refused to let the momentum slip.
Her firepower overwhelmed Florida’s defense, causing the Gators’ attack to sputter in the final few rallies, with UF managing just four kills on -.238 hitting.
For Florida, the match slipped away after such a commanding start. The Gators controlled the net in the opening set behind sophomore middle blocker Jaela Auguste and sophomore outside hitter Aniya Madkin with their 5 and 2 blocks, respectively.
Auguste also had offensive production and was only one kill away from tying with sophomore outside hitter Jordyn Byrd. Byrd ended with 13 kills on a .220 hitting percentage.
The silent weapon for the Gators was freshman outside hitter Kira Hutson, who had seven kills on a .583 hitting percentage. Her efficiency kept Florida in rhythm during stretches when errors piled up elsewhere.
Still, the Gators couldn’t sustain their early defensive edge. After racking up blocks and dictating tempo in the opening set, Florida’s front line faded against Robinson’s relentless swings and LSU’s balanced attack.
Robinson had six kills and four block assists in the fifth set alone, and LSU never let Florida breathe. The Tigers opened with an 8-0 run on senior outside hitter Nia Washington’s serve, capitalizing on three Florida attack errors.
By the time the Gators found the scoreboard, the damage was already done. Robinson pounded back-to-back kills to stretch the lead to 9-1, erupting LSU’s bench as every rally went their way.
She tagged her final kill on match point, sealing the 15-4 set and a 3-2 victory. The Tigers finished with 66 kills to Florida’s 53, while also outhitting the Gators .250 to .201.
The Gators play their next match against ranked No. 21 Missouri (9-5, 1-3 SEC) at the Exatech Arena Friday at 7 p.m.
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.
