First serve is slated for 3 p.m. on ESPN.
Match Notes<https://floridagators.com/common/controls/doc_handler.aspx?doc=35397>
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The 20th-ranked Florida volleyball team (14-6, 6-5 SEC) hosts its second top-20 opponent of the week, welcoming No. 13 Kentucky (12-7, 10-1 SEC) to Exactech Arena on Sunday afternoon. First serve is slated for 3 p.m. and will be televised on ESPN.
Florida is coming off a loss to No. 11 Tennessee on Friday, while Kentucky downed South Carolina.
The Gators hold the 53-20 series advantage over the Wildcats, including a 51-13 record under Mary Wise.
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Last Time Out
The 20th-ranked Florida volleyball team took No. 11 Tennessee in five-sets, but ultimately fell in a five-set thriller (25-23, 14-25, 25-20, 23-25, 13-15) on Friday night. The Gators move to 14-6, 6-5 SEC, while the Lady Vols improve to 19-3, 10-2 SEC
Freshman Kennedy Martin fired on all cylinders to a career-best 28 kills and lead the Gators on the offensive side.
Sofia Victoria followed with 14 of her own, and Nnedi Okammor pitched in a career-high 12 kills to register a .524 clip.
Kennedy Muff dished out a career-high 60 assists in the match, leading the team to a .264 clip. The fifth year also registered 10 digs and two kills.
Florida tallied a total seven blocks, with five Gators contributing to at least one block assist in the match.
Elli McKissock led the backcourt, coming up with a season-high 24 digs, and finishing with four assists.
Martin also led the way behind the service line, recording a match-high two aces.
* Notables
* Kennedy Martin registered a career-high 28 kills
* Elli McKissock’s 24 digs sets a new season high and puts her only 42 away from surpassing Taylor Unroe’s 1,558, which is second overall in Florida history
* Kennedy Muff dished out 60 assists to set a new career high.
* Nnedi Okkamor’s 12 kills and 14.5 points registers new career highs for the senior
* Freshman Madi Gravlee recorded her first career-kill in the second set
* Martin registered her fifth double-double of the season after finishing with 28 kills and 10 digs.
* Muff registered her fourth double-double of the season, dishing out 60 assists and ending with 10 digs.
* Three Gators recorded double-digit kills: Kennedy Martin (28), Sofia Victoria (14), and Nnedi Okammor (12)
* Florida recorded three individual five- set season highs:
* Martin’s 28 kills surpass 27 previously set by Martin on Aug. 26 vs. South Florida
* Martin’s 66 attacking attempts surpasses her 50 set at Auburn on Sept. 22.
* McKissock’s 24 digs surpass her 23 that was set vs. Sacramento State on Sept. 7
* Muff’s 60 assists beat 50 that was previously set by Alexis Stucky on Sept. 7 against Sacramento St.
* Florida recorded four team five-set season highs: 70 Kills passes the 68 set at Florida St. on Sept. 12, 174 attacking attempts beats 167 previously set against Wisconsin on Sept. 16 , and 67 digs surpass the 65 set at Auburn on Sept. 22, and 66 assists beats the 62 against Florida St. on Sept. 12
Gators in the SEC
* Through the season thus far, Florida has at least one player ranked in the following categories:
* Kennedy Martin: Kills per set (4th | 4.09) Points per set: (2nd | 4.90)
* Anna Dixon: Hitting percentage (5th | .363)
* Nnedi Okammor: Blocks per set (7th | 1.17)
* Elli McKissock: Digs per set (8th | 3.69)
* Kennedy Muff: Assists per set (8th | 9.62)
* Gabbi Essix: Blocks per set (10th | 1.12)
* Through the season thus far, Florida is ranked in the Top-5 in the conference in the following categories:
* Blocks per set: (3rd | 2.49)
* Hitting percentage: (3rd | .268)
* Assists per set: (5th | 12.23)
* Kills per set: (5th | 13.09)
* Service aces per set: (5th |1.69)
Last time against Kentucky (2022 SEASON)
* Last Time Out: Nov. 20, 2022 | Gainesville, Fla. | L, 0-3 (23-25, 24-26, 17-25)
* Kentucky took the tightly-contested first set 25-23 and followed that with a 26-24 victory in the second. The Wildcats clinched the match with a 25-17 win in the final frame.
* Florida’s offensive attack was led by a 12-kill performance from Merritt Beason. Marina Markova pitched in nine kills on the afternoon, followed by a seven-kill effort from Gabrielle Essix. Sofia Victoria rounded out the Florida scorers with six kills.
* Alexis Stucky dished out 35 assists in the match, along with seven digs, four blocks, two kills and one ace.
* At the net, the Gators recorded seven blocks, led by Stucky’s four. Bre Kelley and Essix each pitched in three blocks, followed by two from Beason.
* Elli McKissock paced the defense for the Gators, recording 11 digs in the backcourt. Trinity Adams followed with nine, while Beason (8) and Stucky (7) combined for 15.
* Florida finished the match with four aces, with Stucky, Adams, Beason and McKissock each tallying one.
No. 20 Florida vs. No. 13 Kentucky Broadcast Information
Date & Time: Nov. 5 | 3 p.m.
Live Stream: ESPN<https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/5d6d67c4-16e1-4e77-ac7d-7db572331e48/redirected/true> | Live Stats: Statbroadcast<http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=477662> | Radio: 98.1FM/850AM<https://www.wruf.com/listen-live/> | Tickets: FloridaGators<https://am.ticketmaster.com/gators/ism/VkIyMzA5>
Series Information – No. 20 Florida vs. No. 13 Kentucky
The Wildcats | 2023 season: 12-7, 10-1 SEC
* This is the 54th meeting between the Gators and the Wildcats
* Florida leads 53-20 (51-13 under Mary Wise)
* 3-set: 37-11| 4-set: 9-2 | 5-set: 7-7
* Home: 26-10 | Away: 23-9 | Neutral: 4-1
* Last Time Out: Nov. 20 2022 | Gainesville, Fla. | L, 0-3 (23-25, 24-26, 17-25)
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