For the Gators volleyball team, black and blue have become the unofficial team colors this season.
It took three weeks, but for the first time this season the No. 15 Gators (6-2) are in control of both sides of the net.
As No. 15 Florida (6-2) took on Louisiana Lafayette (4-5), it did something it hasn’t done so far this season in the O’Connell Center. The Gators narrowly missed the sweep as they dropped a set to the Ragin’ Cajuns.
With so many freshmen this year, coach Mary Wise has taken full advantage of trying out multiple lineups before Southeastern Conference play. Tonight was no exception.
Coming off a weekend stained with loss and disappointment, the Gators are looking to one another for motivation.
After a pair of losses, the Gators found their silver lining.
Mary Wise has no doubt that her team can attack the ball. But the Gators’ defense is full of question marks.
Three back-to-back-to-back kills in fourth set by Chloe Mann almost changed the pace for the No. 18 Gators (3-2). She was able to narrow a 5 point deficit to just 2.
Taking down the Longhorns was just too tall of an order.
Because the average height for Florida A&M, Florida Gulf Coast and FIU is 5 feet 11 inches, it’s no surprise that 6-foot-2 Chloe Mann and 6-foot Živa Recek combined for 71 kills at the Campus USA Credit Union Invite last weekend.
With Noami Santos-Lamb hobbling on crutches, Florida’s freshmen have given the team a leg to stand on.
Junior Chloe Mann couldn’t be a more different player than she was at this time last year.
During Živa Recek’s first match as a Gator, she was having trouble with the change of pace. In the first set alone, she had one kill against an error in seven total attacks.
Mary Wise can finally breathe. The new offense worked.
When the Gators open their season against Florida International tonight at 7:30 p.m. in the O’Connell Center, they’ll have the opportunity to do something they haven’t done since 2007 — run a 5-1 offense.
This offseason has been a time of major change for coach Mary Wise.
Last year, the Gators had five seniors in their starting lineup. Among those five were All-Americans Kelly Murphy and Kristy Jaeckel, who accounted for 43 percent of Florida's kills, 47 percent of assists and 48 percent of the team's service aces in 2011.
There was no doubt that Taylor Brauneis was Louisville's dominant setter for the last two years. The junior led the team with 1,100 assists in 2010, and continued her top performance in 2011 when she was responsible for 85 percent of the Cardinals' assists.
As part of The Alligator Awards recognizing the best in UF athletics during the 2011-12 season, columnists Joe Morgan and Corey McCall will debate two of the five nominees in each week’s category. Vote for the winner online at alligatorSports.org.
As part of The Alligator Awards recognizing the best in UF athletics during the 2011-12 season, columnists Joe Morgan and Corey McCall will debate two of the five nominees in each week’s category. Vote for the winner online at alligatorSports.org.
Solutions by The State News
