The Gators and the Tigers conclude their 2024 series in Auburn, AL.
Match Notes<https://floridagators.com/documents/2024/11/19/Match_Notes_vs._Auburn.pdf>
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The No. 20 Florida volleyball team is back on the road for a midweek matchup against Auburn inside Neville Arena in Auburn, Ala. Wednesday’s match is set to begin at 7 p.m. ET and will air live on the SEC Network with Paul Sunderland and Missy Whittemore on the call.
The Two teams recently met in Gainesville on Nov. 8, where Florida defeated Auburn in three for a Friday-night sweep.
The Gators enter the match with a 19-5 overall record and a 10-3 record in league play, while the Tigers currently sit 14-10 on the year and 4-9 in the conference. Florida is currently tied for second place in the SEC, matching No. 14 Texas’ 10-3 record and sitting behind No. 12 Kentucky’s 11-2 SEC record.
No. 20 Florida (19-5, 10-3 SEC) vs. Auburn (14-10, 4-9 SEC)
Time & Date: Wednesday, Nov. 20 | 7 p.m. ET
Location: Neville Arena – Auburn, AL
Watch: SECN<https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/69bca2c6-f8cb-4717-918e-b6ffcbddeaa3>
Live Stats: Live Stats<https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=537355&vislive=fla>
Series Information
* Series Record 55-3 (51-2 under Wise)
* 3-set: 41-1; 4-set: 12-1; 5-set: 3-1
* Home: 27-1; Away: 26-2; Neutral: 3-0
* Last time out: Nov. 8, 2024 | W, 3-0 | H | 25-14, 25-18, 25-19
Florida’s last time out:
* The Florida volleyball team tallied their eighth-straight win of the season after coming back and defeating No. 25 Missouri 3-2 (15-25, 25-21, 27-25, 22-25, 15-6) on Friday night in front of 6,300 fans inside the Hearnes Center. The Gators hand Mizzou its first home loss of the season, while snapping their nine-match win streak to improve to 10-3 in conference play and 19-5 overall.
* Sophomore All-American Kennedy Martin officially recorded the most kills by a Florida Gator after recording 32 in the five setter. It marks a career-high for the Fort Mill, S.C. native, and surpasses her previous career best of 31 kills that she registered twice in four sets this season. Her 31 still marks the most kills in a four-set match, but her 32 surpasses former Gator Aury Cruz, the four-time AVCA All-American and three-time SEC Player of the Year, who recorded 31 kills against Nebraska on December 8, 2001 in Florida’s Final Four match, which went into five sets. Cruz’s recorded 31 kills twice in her career when rally scoring went to 30 points.
* Additionally, fifth-year libero Elli McKissock recorded her 2,000th-career dig during the second set to become just the second Gator in program history to reach the milestone. The Windermere, Fla. currently has 2,018 career digs to sit behind Florida’s all-time leader Elyse Cusack’s 2,138 that she recorded from 2006-2009. Cusack ranks No. 2 in the SEC record books, while McKissock ranks fifth overall in the league.
On Auburn:
* Auburn, who was projected to finish tenth in the SEC preseason poll, currently is sitting 12th and is on an eight-match losing streak. It marks the Tigers longest streak since losing all eight of their matches in the 2020 shortened season. The Tigers went on a 17-match losing streak in 2019.
* The Tigers are second in the SEC and 19th in the NCAA in blocks per set, averaging 2.65. In conference matches alone, middle blocker Chelsey McCurdy averages 1.11 per set to rank eighth. Emma Moore leads the team with 1.21 blocks per set.
* The Tigers 13.98 digs per set average sits fifth throughout conference play, while libero Alexis Dacosta ranks ninth individually after averaging 3.68 digs per set.
* On the offensive side, Auburn’s .230 hitting percentage is ninth in the SEC, their 12.38 kills per set ranks 12th and their 11.77 assists per set ranks 13th.
Match Notes Preview:
* GATORS IN SEC STANDINGS
* Florida’s 10-3 league record currently sits behind No. 12 Kentucky’s 11-2 record in conference standings, and matches No. 14 Texas’ 10-3 record. The Gators were projected to finish second in the SEC preseason coaches poll, with No. 14 Texas finishing first and Kentucky third.
* ROAD WARRIORS
* The Gators hold a 7-1 record on the road this season, sitting 5-0 in away matches during SEC play. Florida is averaging 12.94 kills per set, 12.13 assists per set, 11.00 digs per set and 1.84 aces per set in their eight away matches. Their .367 hitting percentage recorded at LSU on Oct. 20 marks the Gators best hitting percentage on the road. UF has tallied two sweeps and two five-set wins in their five league wins.
* THE GATOR SURGE
* Florida is currently on an eight-match win streak, marking the first time since 2021 that Florida has won eight or more SEC matches in a row. The Gators won nine-consecutive conference matches from Oct. 16 to Nov. 21 during the 2021 season when two-match series were played back-to-back due to COVID-19 regulations. Within the eight matches, the Gators have averaged a .321 hitting clip, while holding their opponents to a .205 hitting percentage. Behind the service line, the Gators average 1.59 aces per set. Individually, Kennedy Martin is averaged 6.95 points per set and 6.24 kills per set, while hitting .415 in the win streak. Libero Elli McKissock is averaging 4.62 digs per set and 0.34 aces per set.
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