A pair of seniors registered double-doubles and the seventh-ranked University of Florida volleyball team held its
third-straight opponent to a sub-.100 hitting percentage en route to a 3-0
sweep (30-18, 30-16, 30-24) of No. 19 Santa Clara on
Saturday in front of 3,940 fans at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center.
“This was an important win because it showed us what it takes to beat
quality competition,” Florida
head coach Mary Wise said. “I know
we defended well based on the fact that we reach double-digit blocks. It was a
good all-around effort led by our seniors, but there are always areas where you
can look to improve.”
The Gators tallied 10.0 blocks as a team and won the dig battle, 61-55,
to limit SCU to a .072 efficiency rating. Each of Florida’s three opponents at the Campus USA
Credit Union Invitational came away from the meeting with a hitting percentage
below .100. UF, on the other hand, hit better than .300 in each match, and
ripped off a .420 clip in its win over N.C. State
on Friday.
Senior Angie McGinnis (Fraser, Mich.) posted
37 assists and 10 digs, while adding in five kills on .417 hitting, and senior
outside hitter Marcie Hampton (Gainesville, Fla.)
tallied a match-high dozen kills and 11 digs to lead the UF charge. McGinnis
earned Campus USA Credit Union Invitational MVP honors, while Hampton garnered a spot on the all-tournament
team.
The duo was also joined on the all-tournament team by sophomore
libero/defensive specialist Elyse Cusack (Melrose,
Fla.), who led all players
with 18 digs to reach double figures in that department for the
eighth-consecutive match. Cusack also chipped in with
a pair of aces and a career-high two kills.
Junior middle blocker Kelsey
Bowers (Gainesville, Fla.) finished the contest with a
match-high six total blocks and pounded home seven kills on .583 hitting.
Redshirt freshman outside hitter Janine
Williams (Gainesville, Fla.) turned in a career-high 10 digs to
reach double figures for the first time in her career.
UF came roaring out of the gate against its first ranked opponent of
the season, building a 6-1 lead on the strength of two kills from Hampton. After a UF
service error, the Gators rebounded to take the next five points with Cusack, who started her turn with an ace, behind the
service line. SCU got within seven points later in the game, 20-13, but three
kills by Hampton and a pair by McGinnis sparked a 10-5 run that ended the game.
Hampton led all players with six kills in the
game, while senior opposite hitter Amber
McCray (Longview, Texas)
and sophomore middle blocker Kristina
Johnson (Indianapolis, Ind.) both went for four.
Hampton and the Gators came
racing out the blocks again in game two, as the senior tallied a pair of kills
and assisted Johnson on a block to propel UF on a 5-1 run to open the frame.
Santa Clara battled back to take a one-point lead, 8-7, but the Gators ended
the game on a 22-8 run to take the game, 30-16, and head into the intermission
with a 2-0 lead. Hampton and Williams both fired a pair of aces during the
stretch.
Senior middle blocker Kisya
Killingsworth (Deltona, Fla.)
got Florida rolling in the third game with a
block solo, and the Orange
and Blue never looked back. Williams and Bowers both put down four assists in
the decisive game, while Cusack dug 10 balls in the
effort. The Gators’ .375 efficiency rating was their highest of the match, and
their defense struck for a total of 5.0 blocks in the process of closing out
the match, 30-24.
UF will take the O’Connell Center court again on Wednesday night, when
they host in-state rival Florida State at 7 p.m. The match will be televised on
Sun Sports, and can be heard on WRUF-AM 850 and at www.GatorZone.com.
- UF -
