#3 UF Volleyball dropped a heartbreaking 5 set match to #1 Wisconsin Sunday afternoon on ESPN with a record 10,323 in the O'Dome. #5 Stanford had beaten #2 Louisville earlier today in Louisville, meaning that if the Gators could have won they would have moved up to #1. And the match started out great, with Florida dominating the first set 25-15. But midway through the 2nd set, the All American setter (like the QB in football), sophomore Alexis Stuckey went down with a right leg injury and had to be helped into the locker room. She returned later in a boot and on crutches. Without her pinpoint passing, steady serving and deceptive blocking and shot-making, the Gator team wasn't nearly as sharp and efficient the rest of the match. They hung on to win the 2nd set 25-22, then lost the 3rd set 21-25 and the 4th set 22-25. Mary Wise for the most part went with Flagler College Grad Transfer Kennedy Muff (the only other setter on the roster), but she experimented at times player without a designated setter to try to find more defense at the net to combat a huge Wisconsin frontline. But in the end the Badgers prevailed in the 5th set 13-15 to take the match and remain at #1.
Five Gators recorded at least nine kills in the match.
floridagators.com
With Stuckey, Florida was showing promise to be a truly great team. Without her, we will be very good still - but the setter sets the tone for the team and Stuckey is probably the best the Gators have ever had at that position. At 8-1, we open SEC play Friday at 7:30 pm on SEC+ at #24 Auburn.