The 14-time defending Southeastern Conference champion University of Florida volleyball team won two of three matches against 2004 NCAA Championship participants on Saturday at Ahearn Field House on the campus of Kansas State.

The Gators defeated 2004 NCAA Championship participant Wichita State 2-0 (30-25, 30-25) and 2004 NCAA Division II Final Four participant Nebraska-Kearney 2-0 (30-24, 30-23). Florida opened the day by falling to 2003 Big 12 champion K-State 1-2 (17-30, 30-21, 29-31).

“For a 9 a.m. match in April, the K-State match had some pretty high-level volleyball being played with some great rallies,” Florida coach Mary Wise said. “K-State is a team that plays hard and is well coached and it was good for us to play them.

“My only regret is that Wichita State didn’t have their two great right-side blockers as they were injured and it would have been good for our team to face a healthy Wichita State team.

“It was another weekend where we got better and saw improvement,” Wise said. “Our goal is to be playing our best volleyball in the spring when we play Georgia Tech at home next weekend.”

The upcoming week will conclude Florida’s spring practice schedule. The Gators will host Georgia Tech for a pair of matches on the final day of practice on Saturday, April 16. The matches will be played at the Lemerand Center and are slated for a 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. start.