Florida volleyball began a new era under UF head coach Ryan Theis Friday night. The Gators faced No. 6 Stanford at the American Volleyball Coaches Association showcase inside Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Nebraska.
UF, seeded No. 16 in the four-day, 10-team tournament, dropped its first match 3-1 under Theis, who returned to Gainesville after a decade leading Marquette.
Despite fielding a younger lineup, Florida made an immediate impact and showed flashes of grit against the Cardinal.
Redshirt sophomore outside hitter Jordyn Byrd made her UF debut and led Florida with 17 kills on .368 hitting. She consistently found seams in Stanford’s blocks and ripped shots down the line.
Byrd made her presence known early in the first set, scoring the first point of the match. Florida went on to win the set, earning a 1-0 lead.
Sophomore middle blocker Jaela Auguste added 10 kills on .421 efficiency and three blocks to the team's statistics.
UF sophomore middle blocker Alec Rothe was a defensive force, tallying seven blocks and delivering key kills that energized the team during the third set.
Gators redshirt junior setter Alexis Stucky distributed 39 assists and mixed in several dumps and defensive stops with 12 digs. She distributed the ball effectively between hitters and middles, keeping the offense moving and giving Florida scoring opportunities throughout the match.
Stucky also contributed in the back row, tying freshman libero Lily Hayes for the team lead in digs with a dozen.
Despite Florida having multiple standout individual performances, Stanford’s balance proved too much.
Stanford’s senior outside hitter Elia Rubin, a two-time AVCA All-American, finished with 14 kills and 17 digs.
Stanford’s sophomore outside hitter Julia Blyashov stood out with her trademark power and forced Florida’s blockers into difficult positions. Her aggressive swings created momentum for the Cardinals in important moments and kept the Gators on their heels.
Stanford closed with a .260 hitting percentage and capitalized off its lack of mistakes. Additionally, the Cardinal earned three more service aces than Florida and had steadier execution late in sets.
Untimely attacks, errors and shaky serving left Theis’ team searching for ways to finish rallies against a top-10 opponent. Stanford won three sets in a row, ending the game in four sets.
Despite the loss, the matchup offered a glimpse into Florida’s potential under its new coach. With Byrd emerging as a go-to scorer, Auguste holding down the middle and Theis’ leadership reshaping the system, the team is only getting started this season.
Florida will resume play against the No. 3 Pittsburgh Panthers at 1 p.m. Sunday at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Contact Isis Snow at isnow@alligator.org. Follow her on X @snow_isisUF.
Isis Snow is a junior sports journalism student and a general assignment reporter for The Avenue. She enjoys reading and working out whenever she has the opportunity.
