Gators Down Tigers in Three
Florida held Mizzou to a 0.76 clip.
Box Score<https://floridagators.com/documents/2023/11/17/Florida_vs._Missouri_Box_Score__1.pdf>
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The No. 20 Florida volleyball team tallied its third-straight win, defeating Missouri 3-0 (25-18, 25-20, 25-20) on Friday night inside the Hearnes Center. Florida improves to 17-7, 9-6 SEC, while Missouri falls to 17-10, 9-7 SEC during the 2023 campaign.
The Gators opened up with a 25-18 win in the opening set, followed by back-to-back 25-20 wins to grab their sixth-straight win against the Tigers.
Kennedy Martin led the way offensively, with 11 kills in Friday night’s victory, followed by seven from AC Fitzpatrick. Sofia Victoria and Gabbi Essix both recorded six of their own.
Under the lead of Kennedy Muff’s 26 assists, the Gators generated a .239 clip. Elli McKissock finished with four of her own.
Florida was strong at the net, tallying 10 team-blocks to hold Mizzou to a .076 hitting percentage, only the fourth match this season the Tigers have hit below .100.
Elli McKissock led the defensive backcourt, finishing with 15 of the Gators’ 44 digs. Seven players recorded one or more dig in the win; Kennedy Martin had nine, while Trinity Adams and Emily Canaan had five of their own.
Emily Canaan had three of Florida’s eight aces on the night, followed by two from Martin and one a piece from Adams, Muff and Victoria.
The Gators head south, traveling to Fayetteville, Ark. for a top-20 matchup against the No. 10 Arkansas Razorbacks. First serve is slated for 4 p.m. ET on SECN with Missy Whittemore and Eric Frede on the call.
Records
No. 20 Florida (17-7, 9-6 SEC)
Missouri (17-10, 9-7 SEC)
How It Happened
* There were 11 ties and five lead changes in the opening set, as both teams went point-for-point at the start of the first frame. Two big blocks with Nnedi Okammor in the middle, gave Florida an 8-6 advantage. Emily Cannan kept the momentum going, recording her first ace of the set to make it 9-6. The Tigers cut the gap, going on a 4-0 scoring run to tie it at 11. After battling point-for-point, Kennedy Martin’s ace regained a 15-14 advantage heading into the media timeout. Out of the break, Gabbi Essix and Muff blocked one straight down to put Florida up 18-15 and Mizzou would take their first timeout. Back-to-back aces from Emily Canaan gave the Gators a 21-16 lead to force the Tigers final timeout. It was all Florida out of the timeout, as Okammor and Victoria recorded Florida’s sixth team-block to make it set-point, and the Gators would close out the set with a 25-18 victory.
* Florida recorded five aces in the first frame
* The Tigers went on a 3-0 scoring run to take an early 7-5 lead, but Florida put together its own 5-0 scoring run behind Elli McKissock’s serve to regain a two-point lead. Out of a Missouri timeout, the Tigers tied it back up at nine, where both teams exchanged points until the Gators went on a 4-0 scoring run to inch ahead by four. The Tigers called a timeout trailing, 17-13, but rallied back out of the break to close the gap and make it 20-18. With the score 21-20, Florida went on to win the final four-points of the set to pull away with a 25-20 win, 2-0 match lead.
* The Gators hit a .281 clip in the second set (12-3-32)
* A 3-0 scoring run behind the serves of McKissock gave Florida an early three-point advantage at the start of the third set. A huge block from Martin and Essix made it 6-2, as the Gators would maintain a steady-lead over the Tigers. A kill by AC Fitzpatrick put Florida up by five, and Missouri would use its first timeout. Mizzou closed the gap to get within three, and Florida would call its own timeout still holding a 17-14 lead. Out of the break, the Gators regained their rhythm as Gabbi Essix’s two kills made it 19-15. The Tigers battled back, making it 23-20 and Florida would go on to use its final timeout. Martin’s back-to-back kills closed out the match, giving the Gators a 25-20 victory.
* Florida held Missouri to a -0.32 clip in the final frame.
Notables
* Kennedy Martin’s 11 kills continues her streak of registering 10 or more kills in every match this season
* Elli McKissock’s 15 digs puts her at 1,577 career digs (2nd in Florida History)
* Emily Canaan three aces is a new season high
* The Gators are now 13-5 (13-5 under Wise) in the all-time series against the Tigers
* Florida improves to 9-2 in three-set matches this season
* The Gators are now 5-3 against Missouri in Columbia, Missouri
* UF is now 8-1 in three-set matches against the Tigers
Thoughts from Coach Wise
* “As well as our serving and passing was tonight, 3-0 wins on the road are hard to come by in this league.”
Up Next
* Gators travel to Fayetteville, Ark. for a top-20 matchup against the No. 10 Arkansas Razorbacks.
* First serve is slated for 4 p.m. ET on SECN with Missy Whittemore and Eric Frede on the call.
No. 20 Florida vs. No. 10 Arkansas
Date & Time: Nov. 19 | 4 p.m. ET
Live Stream: SECN<https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/76c6f3bc-ea65-4307-9db5-d70407cd9cb8> | Live Stats: Statbroadcast<http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=474229>
Series Information – No. 20 Florida vs. No. 10 Arkansas
Razorbacks | 2023 season: 23-4, 13-2 SEC
* This is the 55th meeting between the Gators and the Razorbacks
* Florida leads 50-4 (50-4 under Mary Wise)
* 3-set: 29-2 | 4-set: 14-0 | 5-set: 7-2
* Home: 24-1 | Away: 20-2 | Neutral: 6-1
* Last Time Out: Oct. 29, 2023 | Gainesville, Fla. | L, 0-3 (19-25, 20-25, 23-25)
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