GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The No. 15 Florida volleyball team opened its season on a high note Friday, defeating the North Florida Ospreys in four sets in Exactech Arena.
North Florida clinched the first set, 25-20, but the Gators answered with a come-from-behind 25-23 victory in the second frame. The third and fourth sets belonged to Florida, with UF claiming 25-15 and 25-13 wins to secure 1-0 start to the season.
With this victory, Florida has now won 30 season openers, including six-straight.
UF racked up 56 kills in the four-setter, with Marina Markova posting a team-high 16 in her Gator debut. Merritt Beason added 12 kills of her own, followed by 11 from Bre Kelley.
Gabrielle Essix posted a career-high nine kills in the match, while Sofia Victoria rounded out the scorers with five kills of her own.
Three Gators recorded over a .300 hitting percentage, with Kelley leading the way on a .688 clip (11-0-16). Markova finished with a 16-2-32 line for a .438 hitting percentage and Essix posted a .533 clip, finishing with nine kills on 15 swings with one error.
Alexis Stucky posted 36 assists in her first collegiate match, while Birdie Hendrickson added 10 assists of her own in the season opener.
The Gators kept the Ospreys to below a .200 hitting percentage on the night (.195), racking up 6.0 total blocks. Essix led the defensive effort at the net, recording three blocks, while Kelley, Beason, Markova and Stucky each added two in the victory.
Elli McKissock controlled the backcourt defense in the libero jersey, tallying 12 digs in the four-setter. Trinity Adams added a career-high nine digs of her own, followed by six apiece from Emily Canaan, Beason and Stucky.
As a squad, the Orange & Blue tallied 11 service aces, led by three from both Canaan and Beason.
The Gators are back in action on Saturday, taking on ETSU and Virginia to close out the Gators Invitational. Florida will face the Buccaneers at 12 p.m., before taking on the Cavaliers at 7:30 p.m.
Records
No. 15 Florida (1-0)
North Florida (0-1)
How It Happened
* The opening set of the 2022 campaign was a back-and-forth battle, with neither team holding more than a two-point lead until the Ospreys broke up on a 4-0 run to force a Florida timeout at the 11-7 mark. The Gators got back to within three at 14-11, but North Florida extend its lead to six points to force the second UF timeout of the frame at 18-12. A service run by Emily Canaan pulled the Gators back to within three, but UNF created a deficit that UF could not climb out of, claiming the frame 25-20.
* Florida hit .290 in the frame, but couldn’t hold the Ospreys below a .300 clip, with North Florida posting a .364 hitting percentage. Kelley and Markova each posted a team-high four kills.
* The second set once again started with the two squads trading points, but with the frame tied 7-all, the Ospreys went on a 4-0 run to take a familiar 11-7 advantage. North Florida pulled ahead by as many as seven at the 17-10 mark, but the Gators chipped away to cut the deficit to knot the second set at 18-18. From that point on, neither team held more than a one-point advantage until Florida went up 24-22 and forced an Osprey timeout. Out of the break, North Florida got one back, but an attack error secured the comeback for Florida.
* The Gators hit .286 in the second set, while holding North Florida to a .188 clip. Markova led the way with five kills, followed by three from Beason.
* With the third set tied 5-5, Beason led the Gators on a 6-0 run behind the service line to give Florida the comfortable 11-5 lead. It was all Florida from that point on, with the Gators taking a seven-point advantage at 20-13. UF cruised to a 25-15 victory to take the 2-1 lead in the match.
* Florida once again won the hitting percentage battle in the third set, coming out on top with the .333 clip. Beason posted a team-high five kills in the frame, followed by three apiece from Essix and Victoria.
* The Gators controlled the tempo from the start in the fourth frame, with Kelley and Stucky combining behind the service line to give Florida the 7-1 lead. UF continued to grow its lead, pulling ahead 10 at the 19-9 mark. UNF got one back, but the Gators went on a 3-0 run to force an Osprey timeout at 22-10. Out of the timeout, Florida closed out the match with a 25-13 victory to secure its 30th season opening win in program history.
* UF hit a stellar .452 in the final frame, with Markova posting a set-high five kills. Kelley and Beason each added four in the set, all while the defense held UNF to a total of six kills.
Notables
* Bre Kelley posted a career-best 11 kills and a personal-best .688 clip in the match
* Trinity Adams recorded a career-high nine digs in the victory
* In her Gator debut, Alexis Stucky posted 36 assists in three sets of action, paired with six digs, two blocks, one kill and one service ace
* In her first match donning the Orange & Blue, Marina Markova led the squad in kills with 16 and posted a .438 clip to go along with two blocks, one ace, one assist and one dig
* In her collegiate debut, Emily Canaan earned the start and posted a team-high three service aces, along with six digs and two assists
* Emerson Hoyle (2 digs) and AC Fitzpatrick (1 kill, 1 dig) each saw their first action in a Gator jersey as well on Friday night
* The Gators have now won 30 season openers in program history
* This is the sixth consecutive season opener UF has won
* Florida moves to 1-0 against the Ospreys in program history
Thoughts from Coach Wise
* “Tonight was such a great learning opportunity for our team because of how well North Florida played. Credit to a team that really played well tonight.”
Up Next
* The Gators are right back in action on Saturday with a two-match slate
* Florida takes on East Tennessee State University at 12 p.m. before closing out competition against Virginia at 7:30 p.m.
* Both matches will be streamed on SEC Network +
No. 15 Florida vs. ETSU Broadcast Information
Date & Time: Aug. 27 | 12 p.m.
Live Stream: SEC Network+<https://www.espn.com/watch/player?id=76074eb5-92ef-47ad-9dfb-57c04bf5b662> | Live Stats: Statbroadcast<http://stats.statbroadcast.com/statmonitr/?id=417366> | Radio: ESPN Gainesville 98.1 FM/850 AM<https://www.wruf.com/listen-live/>
Series Information – No. 15 Florida vs. ETSU
Buccaneers | 2021 season synopsis: 11-17, 7-9 Southern
* This is the first meeting between the Gators and the Buccaneers
No. 15 Florida vs. Virginia Broadcast Information
Date & Time: Aug. 27 | 7:30 p.m.
Live Stream: SEC Network+<https://www.espn.com/watch/player?id=05a06779-8fbe-417c-ad4d-0eceffdc9955> | Live Stats: Statbroadcast<http://stats.statbroadcast.com/statmonitr/?id=417367> | Radio: ESPN Gainesville 98.1 FM/850 AM<https://www.wruf.com/listen-live/>
Series Information – No. 15 Florida vs. Virginia
Cavaliers | 2021 season synopsis: 8-20, 1-17 ACC
* This is the fourth meeting between the Gators and the Cavaliers
* Florida leads 3-0 (2-0 under Mary Wise)
* 3-set: 3-0 | 4-set: 0-0 | 5-set: 0-0
* Home: 3-0 | Away: 0-0 | Neutral: 0-0
* Last Time Out: Nov. 24, 1995 | Gainesville, Fla. | W, 3-0 (15-4, 15-8, 15-6)
TICKET INFO | Gator Ticket Office Online<http://floridagators.com/sports/2015/12/10/_tickets_volleyball_.aspx> | Call: 352-375-4683 x6800 (Open M-F, 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.)
Season Ticket Prices:
* Reserved (Sections 01, 03, 05, 07, 09, 11, 13, 15) – $75 [ages 13 & up]
* Kids Reserved (Sections 01, 03, 05, 07, 09, 11, 13, 15) – $35 [ages 12 & under]
* General Admission (All other lower bowl areas) – $50 [ages 13 and up]
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* Loge Seating (subject to availability) [in front of the Sideline Club] – $100 [all ages]
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