Murphy looks to improve on freshman year success
By ADAM BERRY | Aug. 16, 2009Kelly Murphy isn't worried about a sophomore slump.
Kelly Murphy isn't worried about a sophomore slump.
During the offseason, the Gators lost one setter to another school, but they added a transfer of their own to make up for it.
At the UF volleyball team's media day on Aug. 13, Lauren Bledsoe could barely contain her excitement when asked about senior Kristina Johnson.
Cindy Bathelt, a freshman setter for the Gators in 2008, will not be returning for her sophomore season.
Cindy Bathelt, a freshman setter for the Gators in 2008, will not be returning for her sophomore season.
The UF volleyball team's season may be months away, but winning still feels good, especially against a rival.
When UF takes the court to play Stanford on Friday, the Gators will find themselves in an unfamiliar role.
Fresh off two victories to start the NCAA Tournament, UF coach Mary Wise gave her first evaluation of her team's reward - No. 2 Stanford.
For weeks, UF coach Mary Wise has paid lip service to the remarkable improvement of her team during the last three months, but now she has something tangible to measure it by.
Florida A&M came into the O'Connell Center focused on upsetting the No. 15 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament behind senior middle blocker Samara Ferraz.
High above the practice courts hang reminders of tradition.
With the conference title all wrapped up, UF headed west to play its final match of the regular season on Saturday.
For her entire 17-year tenure at UF, coach Mary Wise has had her team in a position to win the regular season Southeastern Conference title.
UF lost its last match - and its slim conference lead - to Kentucky on Sunday, but the Gators are far from out of the driver's seat.
On this weekend's road trip, UF took two steps forward in a sweep of Tennessee and one giant step backward in a five-set thriller with Kentucky.
With UF sitting all alone atop the Southeastern Conference standings, it would be bold to suggest the No. 12 Gators have a tough time matching up with anything the conference throws at them.
UF looked to put some distance between itself and the rest of the Southeastern Conference after word of Kentucky's Friday-night loss reached Gainesville.
When UF faced off with Auburn on Oct. 17, sophomore Erin Fleming made major contributions coming off the bench.
For Marcie Hampton, there are no more long practices with 13 other players who she has come to call "sisters."
UF coach Mary Wise expected tough challenges from Georgia and Kentucky this season, but keeping all of her players on the court has been her toughest task of late.