Compliments of AJC
The verdict is still out on defensive coordinator Todd Grantham. Until we see at least another season of his work, we won’t be able to gauge whether the lack of progress shown by the Dogs’ defense this season is a result of the level of talent Grantham inherited from Willie Martinez or is an indictment of Grantham’s coaching. But I think it’s safe to say at this point of the season it’s unlikely the light bulb is suddenly going to come on and this defense is going to get markedly better. The problems that have plagued the Dogs all season are still there. Too many times Florida receivers were wide open Saturday, even on plays where the Dogs not only didn’t blitz but didn’t really pressure the QB. How does that happen? And stopping a running quarterback? They don’t appear to have a clue. Still giving up the big play, too. If Cam Newton doesn’t set a bunch of records against Georgia, it’ll be a failing of his own making. …
And was anyone other than Grantham surprised by Urban Meyer going to a hurry-up offense? …
Still, it’s worth noting that the league’s worst defense on third down didn’t play that way Saturday. Florida converted on only four of 14 third-down tries and whiffed on its one attempt to convert on fourth down. …
On the other side of the ball, Mike Bobo didn’t do a bad job with his offensive calls for most of the game, though I still wonder why Georgia didn’t run it more. But Bobo’s decision-making in overtime definitely was questionable. I’ll give him trying the throw to Kris Durham in the corner of the end zone on first down because if the ball had been properly placed, it would have been a touchdown. Still, it was a fairly low-percentage play for Aaron Murray, who hasn’t really looked good throwing into that corner most of the season.
From there, though, Bobo got predictable: a run up the middle that got stuffed and then look for A.J. Green over the middle. And another tipped ball turned into an interception. You don’t have to be a offensive guru to wonder if maybe rolling Murray out on that play might have been a safer choice. And also to wonder whether the best choice of all might have been to just run it three times and kick the field goal. As Florida’s session of OT turned out, the worst that would have resulted in was a 34-34 score and a second period of OT. …
Kids don’t come much tougher than Durham. Not only did he hold on to the ball despite taking a vicious hit that had him coughing up blood on the sideline, he later returned to the game. …
Man, on that one Florida drive even the Gators’ false starts worked in their favor, including one that negated a Bulldogs stop on third down. And another time a sack of the Florida QB was wiped out by another Gator false start. What are the odds? …
As we noted Saturday, turnovers by Georgia — compounded by the Dogs’ failure to take it away when the Gators gave them the chance — really were the difference in this game. First downs, overall offensive yardage and time of possession were basically even between the two teams. …
As my brother Tim noted, thanks to CBS’ claustrophobic camera-work, you couldn’t really tell most of the time whether Florida’s coverage really had A.J. wrapped up or whether Murray was just looking elsewhere for most of the first three quarters after throwing a pick on the first play of the game trying to hit Green. CBS’ Gary Danielson seemed to think Green was open quite a few times when Murray went elsewhere.
But when Murray did go to Green in the fourth quarter, the receiver was amazing as usual. The 3rd-and-10 catch he managed to hold on to despite being hit immediately after he’d laid out for the ball was a thing of beauty (and made ESPN’s Top 10 Plays of the Day Saturday). And the touchdown catch a few plays later in the midst of triple coverage was nearly as impressive. …
Give the devil his due, Meyer knows how to make use of an off week and outcoached Mark Richt. Again. …
I have to agree with Jeff Dantzler of “Bulldog Brunch” that the location of the game in Jacksonville isn’t the reason for Florida’s dominance of the series the past two decades. It’s the same place they played when Georgia dominated the series the two previous decades. But Greg McGarity should make scheduling a bye week before Florida whenever possible a priority. During his years in Gainesville he’s seen firsthand how important that is.
As for the mental challenge facing the Dogs in playing Florida, Richt is probably right in his assessment that the only way to get out of that mind-set is to win a game like this one. Georgia didn’t do it, unfortunately, and that’s going to make Richt’s job even harder next year. …
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Florida supports P/K Chas Henry when critics don’t
Florida punter-turned-kicker Chas Henry is in an unenviable position. A stress fracture in his back has kept kicker Caleb Sturgis out for a month, thrusting Henry into a position he hasn’t played since high school. And while Henry is one of the best punters in the country, the rust has shown in his kicking game.
Henry started well enough, making two field goals to account for all of Florida’s points in a 31-6 loss at Alabama in his first game at the position. He made another a week later against LSU.
But three misses in a row, including on in the final seconds against Mississippi State that would have tied the score, drew criticism coming into Saturday’s game against Georgia. Lee Corso even called for Henry to be replaced on ESPN’s College GameDay.
To be sure, the Gators are not in an ideal situation. As coach Urban Meyer said after the Georgia game, “He’s not majored in that.”
Without an adequate backup for Sturgis, who himself is 2-for-4 on field goals this season, Henry became the guy.
A missed field goal in the first quarter certainly didn’t prove critics wrong.
But Meyer stuck with him, and he ended his streak of four misses with a 34 yarder in the fourth quarter.
Henry said his coaches’ confidence, as well as that of his teammates, never wavered. Even still, Henry’s make was impressive for a guy who hasn’t played that position in three years and is now 4-for-8 on field goals.
“It was Chas Henry making a damn field goal,” Meyer said. “Think about that for a minute.”
Henry started well enough, making two field goals to account for all of Florida’s points in a 31-6 loss at Alabama in his first game at the position. He made another a week later against LSU.
But three misses in a row, including on in the final seconds against Mississippi State that would have tied the score, drew criticism coming into Saturday’s game against Georgia. Lee Corso even called for Henry to be replaced on ESPN’s College GameDay.
To be sure, the Gators are not in an ideal situation. As coach Urban Meyer said after the Georgia game, “He’s not majored in that.”
Without an adequate backup for Sturgis, who himself is 2-for-4 on field goals this season, Henry became the guy.
A missed field goal in the first quarter certainly didn’t prove critics wrong.
But Meyer stuck with him, and he ended his streak of four misses with a 34 yarder in the fourth quarter.
Henry said his coaches’ confidence, as well as that of his teammates, never wavered. Even still, Henry’s make was impressive for a guy who hasn’t played that position in three years and is now 4-for-8 on field goals.
“It was Chas Henry making a damn field goal,” Meyer said. “Think about that for a minute.”
No. 1 Gators Post Complete Win Over Ole Miss
Junior Florida right-side/setter Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Ill.) posted her nation-leading sixth triple-double of the season and the No. 1 Gators recorded one of their most complete wins of the season on Friday in a 3-0 (25-12, 25-21, 25-17) decision against Southeastern Conference Western Division leader Ole Miss in the Gillom Sports Center.
The Gators (20-1, 13-0 SEC) clinched their 20th consecutive 20-win season with the victory, out-blocking the Rebels 9.0-1.0 in the match. Florida hit .368 on the evening, marking its fourth consecutive match of hitting better than .300, and limited Ole Miss to just an .067 hitting efficiency, the second consecutive match that the Gators have held their opponent under .100 hitting.
“I thought our team really brought their ‘A’ game today,” Florida head coach Mary Wise said. “With the quick turnaround from Wednesday night’s match, the travel yesterday and playing in this environment against a really good Ole Miss team, the way we played was a real testament to our team’s maturity. I thought everyone gave their best effort today and we won this match with serving and blocking.”
Murphy’s 10 kills came on .562 hitting with a team-high 16 assists and a match-high 10 digs. She also added two service aces for a team-high 12.0 total points. It was Murphy’s sixth triple-double of the season and, impressively, her third in a three-set match this year. Murphy’s triple-double was the 21st of her collegiate career and it also marked her eighth consecutive double-double.
“Kelly was outstanding tonight, but she had a lot of help from her teammates around her,” Wise said. “This was a great win – Ole Miss had been undefeated at home and we came in and played really well with not a lot of preparation time. Ole Miss is an NCAA team that has a chance to win the SEC West.”
Sophomore right-side Tangerine Wiggs (Seattle, Wash.) charted nine kills on a .417 hitting efficiency with five blocks, while junior outside hitter Kristy Jaeckel (Littleton, Colo.) and senior outside hitter Callie Rivers (Winter Park, Fla.) each registered seven kills and six digs apiece. Rivers hit .368 in the match, marking her third consecutive match hitting better than .350, and her second straight match without committing a single attack error.
Senior middle blocker Lauren Bledsoe (Long Beach, Calif.) recorded a match-high six blocks, while junior middle blocker Cassandra Anderson (Bakersfield, Calif.) added three blocks.
Freshman setter Chanel Brown (Tempe, Ariz.) dished out 13 assists to complement seven digs, while senior libero Erin Fleming (Orlando, Fla.) added eight digs.
The Gators raced out to an early 5-2 advantage before the Rebels answered with two consecutive kills to cut within one at 5-4. A Rivers kill and a block by Anderson and Jaeckel on consecutive plays sparked a 3-0 run that extended Florida’s advantage to four, 8-4. The Gators kept rolling to an 11-6 advantage thanks to kills by Jaeckel and Murphy that forced Ole Miss head coach Joe Getzin to burn a timeout.
Out of the break, Florida ran off four consecutive points, including a pair of aces by Murphy, to widen its lead to nine, 15-6, heading into another Rebel timeout. From there, the Gators used a 6-2 run that included three big blocks to go up 21-8. Ole Miss ran off a pair of points to cut within 11, 21-10, but back-to-back attack errors by the Rebels extended Florida’s lead back to 13, 23-10. The Gators easily closed out the 25-12 first-set victory. Florida limited Ole Miss to a -.116 hitting efficiency in the first frame and the Gators won the blocking battle 5.0-1.0.
Ole Miss took a 3-1 lead to begin the second set and, after Florida cut within one, 4-3, on a Rivers kill, the Rebels scored three consecutive points to go up 7-3 and force a timeout by the Gators. Out of the break, a Murphy kill and an attack error by Whitney Craven allowed Florida to cut within two, 7-5. Trailing 8-5, the Gators got a kill from Murphy and another Ole Miss attack error on back-to-back plays to whittle its deficit down to one, 8-7. After the two teams traded points, successive kills by Wiggs and Jaeckel knotted the score at 10-all.
After another tie at 11, Murphy charted a kill and Brown served back-to-back aces to extend Florida’s advantage to three, 14-11, and force a Rebel timeout. Trailing 16-13 after a Rivers kill, back-to-back kills by Ole Miss brought it within one, 16-15. The two teams began trading points, but a Wiggs attack error and a Regina Thomas kill allowed Ole Miss to knot the score at 18-18. A Jaeckel kill stopped the Gators’ scoring slide, sparking a 3-0 Florida run that it in front 21-18, and caused a timeout by the Rebels. The squads traded points before the Gators clinched a 25-21 second-set victory. UF hit an impressive .500 in the second frame.
The two teams battled evenly to begin the third set before the Gators broke to a 6-3 advantage after back-to-back kills by Anderson and Brown. After the Rebels cut within two, 6-4, Murphy charted back-to-back kills to extend Florida’s edge back to four, 8-4, and force an Ole Miss timeout. The Gators kept rolling to an 11-5 advantage, capped off by a Craven attack error.
From there, the Rebels responded with three consecutive points to cut within three, 11-8. With her team ahead 12-8, Jaeckel served back-to-back aces and Rivers followed with a kill to give Florida a 15-8 lead and cause Getzin to burn his last timeout. The Gators kept rolling to go in front 20-11 on an Ole Miss attack error. The Rebels came as close as seven on several occasions, last at 24-17, before a Wiggs kill gave Florida the 25-17 match-clinching win.
The Rebels (16-6, 10-3 SEC) were led by Thomas’ match-high 12 kills on .475 hitting and Miranda Kitts’ eight kills on .444 hitting. Craven, who entered the match as the team’s kill leader at with 3.17 kills per set, did not record a kill and committed 13 attack errors on the evening.
Florida returns to action on Friday when it travels to Athens, Ga., to take on Georgia. Opening serve in the Ramsey Student Center is slated for 7 p.m. ET and the match will be carried live on 103.7 FM The Gator with Cory Stephens.
Florida Swimming & Diving Team Splits SEC and Road Opener vs. Georgia
The University of Florida men’s swimming and diving team opened up its road schedule by picking up its first victory of the 2010-11 season with a 170-130 triumph over Southeastern Conference rival Georgia, while the women’s team dropped a 180-120 decision to the Lady Bulldogs, Friday afternoon at the Gabrielsen Natatorium in Athens, Ga. The meet marked the SEC opener for both schools and the 10th consecutive SEC-opening win for the Gator men’s squad.
“Both men and the women mirrored each other in their meets, but each had different results,” head coach Gregg Troy said. “From an individual standpoint, Conor Dwyer (Winnetka, Ill.), Sarah Bateman (Orlando, Fla.) and Shara Stafford (Topeka, Kan.) all had great meets. Several of our young swimmers stepped up, which was encouraging to see. It was also great to have the men back from the Commonwealth Games, as they really contributed to the men’s side.”
Dwyer continued to build off his SEC Male Swimmer of the Week performance vs. Virginia, winning the men’s 200 (B-Cut time of 1:37.77), 500 (B-Cut time of 4:25.46) and 1,000-yard freestyle (9:00.48). The reigning 2010 NCAA and SEC Male Swimmer of the Year now owns the fastest times in the NCAA in all three events. The senior captain also helped the Gators win the 400 freestyle relay along with teammates Brett Fraser (George Town, Cayman Islands), Scott Sommer (Ocala, Fla.) and Logan Storie (Corvallis, Ore.). The relay time of 2:59.27 was a NCAA provisional mark and also became the fastest time in the country in the event. Also in the men’s 500 free was Florida sophomore Jason Taylor (Plant City, Fla.), who finished second in with a NCAA provisional mark with a time of 4:27.01, the third-quickest time in the country this season.
“It was fun to finish the intense four-week training cycle against a great SEC team like Georgia that will challenge us in the spring,” Dwyer said. “Coach Troy wanted to see how tough I was in an intense freestyle meet, so I was happy with my swims individually.”
Bateman, a junior All-American for the Gators, paced the way for the women’s squad, winning the 50 free with a NCAA provisional time for the third-straight meet as well as placing first in the 100 free (50.40). The Iceland Olympian’s time of 22.72 in the 50 free is the second-fastest time in the country. Bateman also picked up another NCAA provisional mark with a second-place finish in the 200-yard medley relay (1:42.49), joining teammate’s freshman Alana Pazevic (Mill Creek, Wash.), junior Daniela Victoria (Plantation, Fla.) and freshman Elizabeth Beisel (North Kingstown, R.I.).
“It was a really exciting meet,” Bateman said. “We may have fallen short, but as a whole we were able to see the areas we must improve in so that we can reach our goals this spring. I just tried to race my best and score as many points as possible for my team.”
Beisel, who was named SEC Female Swimmer of the Week for her performances in the Virginia dual-meet victory, also won two events. The freshman picked up NCAA provisional marks for the third consecutive meet in the 200-yard butterfly (1:58.29) and 200-yard backstroke (1:55.90), and continues to own the fastest time in the country in the 200 back. The 2008 Olympian also finished second in the 200-yard individual medley with a B-Cut time of 1:59.10, the second-fastest time in the country in 2010-11.
Also having success on the women’s side was Stafford and local product Jamie Bohunicky (Gainesville, Fla.). Stafford, a NCAA champion a year ago, won her second and third individual events of the season with victories in the 100-yard backstroke (B-Cut time of 54.58) and 100 fly (55.42). Bohunicky, a sophomore All-American, recorded her second NCAA provisional mark of the season in the 200 free with a third-place finish of 1:49.21.
Returning from the 2010 Commonwealth Games with a school record in the men’s 100-meter back was junior Marco Loughran (London, England), who won the 100 and 200 back. Loughran’s time of 48.36 in the 100 back was a NCAA provisional mark and third-fastest time in the country this season, while his mark of 1:47.05 in the 200 back is the quickest time in the event this year. The 2010 All-American also picked up a B-Cut time in the 200 medley relay along with Fraser, Storie and sophomore Rodion Davelaar (Willemstad, Netherlands Antilles). The relay time of 1:29.57 marked the second-fastest NCAA time this season. Fraser and Davelaar also found success individually, with Fraser winning the 100 free (45.04) and Davelaar triumphing in the 100-yard breaststroke (55.87).
In the diving competition, the Gators swept both the men’s and women’s one and three-meter competitions. Junior Kaylee Doback (Brandon, Fla.) won her first event of the season on the three-meter boards with a score of 304.20. Two weeks after setting the school record in the event and being named the SEC Female Diver of the Week for her efforts, senior Monica Dodson (Franklin, Ind.) finished second in the three-meter competition. On the one-meter boards, Dodson picked up her second one-meter victory of the season with a 263.10 score, while Doback came in second (255.68).On the men’s side, junior Anthony Lewark (Davie, Fla.) swept both diving events with scores of 332.55 on the one-meter boards and 366.98 on the three-meter boards.
Oh Henry! Gators Beat Georgia In Overtime Thriller
Senior Chas Henry (Dallas, Ga.) connected on a 37-yard field goal in overtime to lift Florida (5-3, 3-3 SEC) over Georgia (4-5, 3-4 SEC), 34-31, in the first-ever overtime affair between the two Eastern Division rivals in the 88th meeting of the series. The teams played the annual game at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Fla. in front of a crowd of 84,444.
On Georgia's possession in the extra period, Gator junior free safety Will Hill (West Orange, N.J.) intercepted a pass from quarterback Aaron Murray and raced down the sideline for an apparent game-ending touchdown. However, he was ruled out of bounds after an 89-yard return, meaning that Florida was to begin its possession at UGA's 25-yard line. Hill had two picks and also thwarted a two-point conversion with a catch in the end zone. After UF ran three plays and gained six yards, Henry delivered the game-winner to give the Orange and Blue its 18th win in the last 21 encounters with the Bulldogs.
For Florida, freshman Trey Burton (Venice, Fla.) had career highs in both carries (17) and yards (110), highlighted by a spectacular 51-yard touchdown with 6:56 remaining in regulation that gave the Gators a seven-point lead. Redshirt junior wide receiver Chris Rainey (Lakeland, Fla.) totaled 241 all-purpose yards, 148 on six kick returns, 84 rushing on 16 carries and nine receiving on two catches. He scored the game's first points on a season-high 20-yard rush in the second quarter.
Redshirt junior quarterback John Brantley (Ocala, Fla.) completed 16-of-25 passes for 193 yards and one interception, while six different players had multiple receptions and accounted of 219 yards receiving for Florida. Burton had a team-high five catches for 35 yards, while redshirt sophomore Omarius Hines (Corsicana, Texas) led the Gators with 50 yards on four receptions. Redshirt sophomore wide receiver Frankie Hammond Jr. (Hollywood Fla.) also chipped in with three receptions for 46 yards.
On the first offensive play of the game for Georgia, Murray was intercepted by junior cornerback Janoris Jenkins (Pahokee, Fla.), his third interception of the season. Florida's offense was unable to convert, and the drive ended with a missed 42-yard field goal by Henry.
In the second quarter, Rainey put Florida on the board first with a 20-yard rushing touchdown, his second touchdown of the season, first rushing score and longest run of the campaign. The Gators used an 11-play, 91-yard drive and an extra point from Henry to take a 7-0 lead.
Georgia answered Florida's attack with a 64-yard touchdown pass from Murray to redshirt sophomore wide receiver Tavarres King to tie the game at 7-7. It was his first completion of the contest and longest scoring toss of the season.
Later in the second quarter, senior strong safety Ahmad Black (Lakeland, Fla.) forced a fumble by Murray which was picked up and returned 10 yards by redshirt freshman linebacker Jelani Jenkins (Olney, Md.), his first career fumble recovery. On a challenging 3rd down and 19, Brantley connected with redshirt junior wide receiver Deonte Thompson (Belle Glades, Fla.) for 21 yards and a Florida first down. The Gators capitalized on the turnover with a two-yard touchdown run by junior running back Jeffery Demps (Winter Garden, Fla.) to regain the advantage at 14-7.
On Georgia's next possession, Hill snared Murray's pass for his first pick of the year and returned it 13 yards to the Bulldogs' 41-yard line. Florida's offense followed the interception with a 40-yard pass from Brantley to Demps to put Florida at the 1-yard line. On the next play, Burton pounded it in the end zone and the extra point lengthened UF's lead to 21-7.
On UGA's first possession of the second half, the Bulldogs were forced to settle for a field goal after a strong Gator defensive showing held them on 3rd down and 4 from the 10-yard line. Blair Walsh completed a 28-yard field goal to shorten Florida's lead to 21-10 with 5:18 left in the quarter.
Three seconds into the fourth quarter, Georgia used a four-yard touchdown run by sophomore running back Washaun Ealey to close the gap to 21-16. Hill foiled the two-point conversion with a diving catch in the end zone to preserve the Gators' five-point advantage.
On the ensuing drive, Rainey gave the Gators excellent field possession with a 44-yard kickoff return to the Georgia 49. Henry capped off a eight-play, 33-yard drive with a 34-yard field goal that resulted in a 24-16 margin.
Georgia answered with a 74-yard, four-play drive that ended with a 29-yard touchdown pass from Murray to sophomore tight end Orson Charles. The Bulldogs used a successful two-point conversion on a rush by Murray to tie the game at 24-24.
Florida moved back in front on a career-long 51-yard touchdown by Burton, which was the rookie's team-leading 11th touchdown and 10th on the ground. The point-after by Henry put the Gators ahead, 31-24.
Georgia cornerback Brandon Boykin then returned junior kicker Zack Brust's (Jacksonville, Fla.) 64-yard kickoff 51 yards to UF's 43-yard line. Although he was tackled by Brust, Boykin's lengthy return gave Georgia excellent field position. The Bulldogs tied the game seven plays later on a 15-yard scoring toss from Murray to wide receiver A.J. Green and an extra point by Walsh.
It was the battle of defenses in the waning minutes of the fourth quarter, as the score remained deadlocked at 31-31. Holding a 2-2 all-time record in overtime entering today, the Gators went to an extra session for the first time since a 49-42 victory in double overtime against Vanderbilt on Nov. 5, 2005, in The Swamp. Meanwhile, Georgia had not been in overtime since a 26-23 triumph over Alabama on Sept. 22, 2007.
UF will meet Eastern Division foe Vanderbilt next week in Nashville, Tenn. The game will air at 12:21 p.m. and will be televised on the SEC Network.
Friday, October 29, 2010
No. 8 Gator Soccer Wins SEC Title with 1-0 Win at No. 17 South Carolina
A free kick goal with seconds remaining in the opening half was all the No. 8 University of Florida soccer team (15-2-2, 9-1-1 SEC) needed to claim its 11th Southeastern Conference title. Florida claimed a 1-0 win at No. 17 South Carolina (14-4-2, 8-2-1 SEC) Friday evening in front of a Eugene E. Stone III Stadium crowd of 2,548 – the sixth largest ever to watch a women’s match at USC. The SEC title is the fifth consecutive for the Gator program.
The first goal of the match came just before halftime. Florida was awarded a free kick with 10 seconds remaining, but the referee stopped the clock with five second showing to allow the teams to set up. Senior Nicky Kit took the shot from 20 yards. It hit the near post and kicked in with just two seconds showing on the scoreboard clock. The goal was Kit’s second on the year.
Before the kick, Kit had a feeling it was going to score.
“The clock was stopped so I told myself to take my time and I went through everything Coach Vic (Campbell) taught me: to use my leg, don’t aim – just kick it because you know where you are going to kick it,” Kit said. “I knew I was going to score.”
“There is this feeling of energy,” she said. “It is like a clearing and everything goes quiet. That was literally what it was. It was very exciting. I was so happy to help my team.”
The Gators’ three seniors – Ashlee Elliott, Katie Fraine and Kit – were a part of a SEC championship team every year of their Florida careers. For Elliott and Fraine, the number is five SEC titles as Elliott redshirted the 2009 season and a broken finger sidelined Fraine for the 2006 campaign.
UF Head Coach Becky Burleigh, the only coach in the program’s 16-year history, said this win was big for the team.
“It feels great. I am really, really happy for the seniors. Nicky scored the winning goal. Ashlee and Katie won their fifth SEC title, which is unprecedented,” Burleigh said. “So it is just really exciting for our entire team.
“It was a hard-fought battle and we would have expected nothing less,” she continued. “We knew it wasn’t going to be easy going on the road in the SEC with two top teams playing against each other. We are really excited to have a SEC title in our hands.”
The Gators now head to the SEC Tournament which begins Wednesday, Nov. 3 in Orange Beach, Ala. Florida will open play at 6 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Nov. 3 versus Vanderbilt. The Gators have won eight SEC Tournament titles with the last coming in 2007.
| Scoring Summary: | 1st | 2nd | Final |
| Florida | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| South Carolina | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Scoring: | |||||||
| UF: Nicky Kit (unassisted) 44:58 | |||||||
| | |||||||
| Goalkeepers: | |||||||
| | | Minutes | Saves | GA | |||
| Florida | Katie Fraine | 90:00 | 1 | 0 | |||
| South Carolina | Mollie Patton | 90:00 | 5 | 1 | |||
| | | | | | |||
| Statistical Summary: | UF | USC | |||||
| Shots | 9 | 7 | |||||
| Shots on goal | 6 | 1 | |||||
| Saves | 1 | 5 | |||||
| Corner Kicks | 3 | 8 | |||||
| Fouls | 14 | 7 | |||||
| Offside | 2 | 2 | |||||
Cautions:Jazmyne Avant (UF) 38:02/yellow
No. 1 Gators Meet Ole Miss in Battle of Division Leaders
The Southeastern Conference’s divisional leaders will square off on Friday night in Oxford, Miss., when No. 1 Florida takes on Ole Miss. Opening serve in the Gillom Sports Center is slated for 8 p.m. ET and the match will be carried live on WRUF Sports Radio 850 with Tom Collett.
Florida (19-1, 12-0 SEC), which is riding a 14-match winning streak, is looking to post its 20th consecutive 20-win season on Friday evening. The Gators lead the overall SEC race by two matches with a 12-0 conference record. Ole Miss and LSU follow with 10-2 league records, while Tennessee is fourth with an 8-4 conference mark.
“Ole Miss is a team that’s undefeated at home and in a good position to win the SEC West,” Florida head coach Mary Wise said. “This is the best Ole Miss team we’ve ever played, and facing them at home in a tough environment on Friday night will really be a challenge. If we serve and block well, then we have a chance to win on the road.”
The Gators are coming off a 3-0 win against South Carolina in a primetime Wednesday night showdown on ESPNU. Senior outside hitter Callie Rivers (Winter Park, Fla.) led the way for the Gators, recording a match-high-tying 11 kills on 21 swings with no errors for a .524 hitting efficiency to complement a career-high-tying four service aces and five digs for 15.0 total points. The Gators hit .323 for the match, marking their third consecutive match hitting better than .300 as a team, and limited the Gamecocks to just an .057 hitting efficiency.
As a team, Florida ranks in the NCAA’s top 25 in three statistical categories. The Gators are 16th nationally with a .280 hitting efficiency, rank 21st in service aces with 1.77 per set and 25th in blocks per set with 2.63. Florida leads the SEC in both blocks per set and service aces per set and is the only team in the SEC to have three players rank in the league’s top-10 individually in service aces.
The Gators are led offensively by junior right-side/setter Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Ill.), who is the only player in the SEC (all matches combined) to rank among the league’s top-10 individually in service aces per set, hitting percentage and kills per set. Murphy averages a squad-best 3.23 kills per set, which ranks 10th in the SEC, on a .376 hitting percentage, which ranks fourth in the conference. Murphy is the SEC’s leader in service aces with 0.38 per set. She also averages 5.44 assists per set, 2.15 digs per set and 0.70 blocks per set.
Junior outside hitter Kristy Jaeckel (Littleton, Colo.) and Rivers follow with 2.44 and 2.29 kills per set, respectively. Rivers is second on the team with 2.36 digs per set and ranks second in the SEC with 0.36 service aces per set.
Senior libero Erin Fleming (Orlando, Fla.) heads Florida’s back-row effort, ranking eighth in the SEC with 3.62 digs per set, while freshman setter Chanel Brown (Tempe, Ariz.) averages a squad-best 5.52 assists per set.
The Gators have three players averaging 0.90 blocks per set or better, led by junior middle blocker Cassandra Anderson (Bakersfield, Calif.) who ranks third in the SEC with 1.16 blocks per set. Senior middle blocker Lauren Bledsoe (Long Beach, Calif.) follow with 1.00 blocks per set, which ranks ninth in the SEC, while sophomore right-side Tangerine Wiggs (Seattle, Wash.) adds 0.90 blocks per set.
Florida and Ole Miss meet for the 41st time in the history of the two programs with the Gators holding a 37-3 lead in the all-time series. UF is 31-0 all-time vs. the Rebels under the direction of Wise, as Ole Miss is one of four teams that she has never lost to during her tenure at Florida. The Gators are 16-3 all-time against Ole Miss when the match is played in Oxford, Miss. Twenty-one of the last 23 meetings between the two teams have been 3-0 Florida sweeps.
Ole Miss enters Friday’s match with a 16-5 overall record and a 10-2 mark in SEC play. The Rebels, who have won seven consecutive matches, are coming off a pair of wins against Mississippi State and Alabama on the road last weekend. Three of Ole Miss’ five losses this season have come to ranked opponents, including a 3-0 win by the Gators on Sept. 26, but the Rebels have posted quality wins, including a 3-0 sweep of No. 12 LSU on Oct. 15 in Oxford.
Ole Miss is led offensively by sophomore outside hitter Whitney Craven, who averages a squad-best 3.17 kills per set and is second on the team with 2.63 digs per set. Senior middle blocker Regina Thomas and sophomore right-side Allegra Wells follow with 2.50 and 2.49 kills per set, respectively.
Junior libero Morgan Springer ranks second in the SEC with 4.81 digs per set, as the Rebels lead the league with 16.24 digs per set (all matches combined). Thomas and Miranda Kitts, rank second and eighth, respectively, in the SEC in blocks per set with 1.20 and 1.05 per set, making Ole Miss and Florida the only two teams to have two players apiece in the league’s top-10 individually in blocking.
Sophomore setter Amanda Philpot is the reigning SEC Offensive Player of the Week after registering her first career triple-double against Alabama last Sunday. She ranks sixth on her team with 7.37 assists per set.
Complete results and a recap of Friday’s match will be available at GatorZone.com.
For all of the latest information on Florida volleyball, please log on to www.GatorZone.com/volleyball. Follow Florida Volleyball on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GatorZoneVB and Coach Mary Wise on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GatorMary.
QUICK NOTES
· Florida, which enters Friday’s match with a 19-1 overall record and a 12-0 Southeastern Conference mark, will be looking to post its 20th consecutive 20-win season dating back to 1991.
· The Gators are ranked No. 1 in the nation for the third consecutive week and for just the eighth time in program history. Florida was ranked for five consecutive polls during the 1996 season and UF holds a record of 17-1 all-time when playing as the nation’s top-ranked team.
· Florida is ranked among the AVCA’s top-25 poll for the 300th consecutive week, marking the nation’s fifth-longest active streak in consecutive polls ranked. The Gators have been ranked in every poll since Sept. 17, 1991.
· The Gators check in at No. 1 in the latest RPI ratings for the fourth consecutive week.
· Head coach Mary Wise, in her 24th season as a collegiate head coach and her 20th directing the Gators, became just the 16th NCAA Division I women’s volleyball coach ever to pick up her 700th career victory. Wise is 703-131 (.843) in her 24th season as a Division I head coach, with her first four years coming at Iowa State from 1981-84, where she tallied a record of 81-63 (.563). Wise is the 16th-winningest Division I volleyball head coach all-time and the eighth-winningest active coach.
· The 2010 campaign marks the 27th season of Florida volleyball (beginning 1984). The Gators are 778-168 (.821) all-time in program history.
· The Gators lead the SEC (all matches combined) in both blocks per set (2.63) and service aces per set (1.77). Florida is the only team in the SEC to have three players rank in the league’s top-10 individually in service aces.
· Two Florida players are nearing the 1,000-kill plateau for their careers, something that just 16 players in program history have accomplished. Junior right-side/setter Kelly Murphy has 901 career kills, which ranks 22nd in school history, while junior outside hitter Kristy Jaeckel has 820 career kills, which ranks 25th in school history.
· Murphy leads the nation with five triple-doubles so far this season and has a school-record 20 triple-dips in her Florida career.
· Murphy ranks ninth on Florida’s all-time career assists list with 1,756 career dishes. Accomplishing that in just 82 career matches is an impressive feat, considering she has spent all but six matches of her collegiate career setting in just three rotations as part of a 6-2 offensive scheme.
· Murphy is the SEC’s only player to rank in the league’s top-10 individually in service aces (1st - 0.38 per set), hitting percentage (4th - .376) and kills per set (10th – 3.23 per set) simultaneously.
· Jaeckel is just the 20th player in school history to reach 2,000 career attacks and now has 2,174 career attacks through 81 career matches, which ranks 16th all-time in school history.
SEC VOLLEYBALL STANDINGS (AS OF OCT. 28, 2010)
Eastern Division
| Team | Overall | SEC |
| Florida | 19-1 | 12-0 |
| Tennessee | 17-5 | 8-4 |
| Kentucky | 11-11 | 5-7 |
| Georgia | 11-12 | 3-9 |
| South Carolina | 5-17 | 2-10 |
Western Division
| Team | Overall | SEC |
| Ole Miss | 16-5 | 10-2 |
| LSU | 19-2 | 10-2 |
| Auburn | 16-8 | 7-5 |
| Arkansas | 10-13 | 4-8 |
| Mississippi State | 11-11 | 3-8 |
| Alabama | 9-12 | 1-10 |
FRIDAY’S SEC MATCHES
Alabama at Arkansas – 8 p.m. ET
Auburn at Tennessee – 7 p.m. ET
Florida at Ole Miss – 8 p.m. ET
Georgia at Kentucky – 7 p.m. ET
Mississippi State at LSU – 8 p.m. ET
WEDNESDAY’S SEC RESULTS
Florida 3, South Carolina 0 (25-20, 25-17, 25-13)
Tennessee 3, Louisville 1 (17-25, 25-23, 25-22, 28-26)
Gator Swimming Makes First Road Trip in SEC Opener Against Georgia
Following a win at the first-ever All-Florida Invitational and a dual-meet split against Virginia at home to open the season, the Florida swimming and diving program will travel to the University of Georgia Friday morning in its SEC and road opener. Meet time at the Gabrielsen Natatorium is scheduled for 11 a.m.
“They’re deep and talented everywhere,” head coach Gregg Troy said. ”It’s a great way to start your first traveling meet, because you’re going to see a lot of what you’ll see at the end of the year. It’s going to be a good experience. The men’s side we evaluated where we were weak. We’ve had the good fortune of getting three athletes back (Brett Fraser, Marco Loughran and Sebastien Rousseau) that we didn’t have for that (Virginia) meet because they were swimming at the Commonwealth Games. On the women’s side, we’re real pleased with where everything is. We’re trying to just move forward and get better as the year goes on.”
The last time out, the University of Florida women’s swimming and diving team edged out the University of Virginia women’s squad for a 150-148 win on Oct. 11 at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center Natatorium, while the Gators fell short against the Cavaliers on the men’s side, 153-145. The two-point victory for the Lady Gators marked the closest finish on the women’s side since Florida squeaked by UCLA for a 150-149 victory during the 1997-98 season, while the loss by the men marked only the second time in the last decade the Gator men fell in their dual-meet opener.
Georgia enters the rivalry meet much like the Gators do, splitting its season-opening dual meet against a strong Atlantic Coast Conference team. The Lady Bulldogs defeated North Carolina on the road Oct. 22 with a 168-132 victory, while the men’s team dropped a 183-117 decision. It’s the second-straight year that the Bulldogs have opened the season with a dual-meet split against North Carolina before taking on Florida the following week.
In the all-time series between the Gators and Bulldogs, Florida holds a commanding 58-15-2 mark on the men’s side, while sporting a 13-11 record on the women’s side. In both teams’ SEC opener in Gainesville last season on Oct. 30,
2009, the Gator men picked up a 139-104 win over the Bulldogs, while UF’s 2010 NCAA Women’s Championship squad suffered their only conference loss of the 2009-10 campaign, 137-104. The Gator men have won nine-straight SEC openers, while the women’s squad has won nine of its last 10.
“We wrapped up two weeks of pretty good training since the Virginia meet,” Troy said. “It finished a great training cycle for us, and we get to finish it with a great competition versus Georgia this week. It’s always good to swim on the Florida-Georgia football weekend. It’s a little added intensity. It’s their first home meet. It presents some unique challenges. It’s the first time we’ve traveled with a lot of freshmen. The last couple of weeks have been a little bit of a challenge. We have a great group with great resiliency. We’re seeing probably the best women’s team in the country in Georgia. It’s always a good competition and it’s hard fought. We’re looking forward to a great competition this weekend.”
Senior captain Conor Dwyer (Winnetka, Ill.) has led the way for the Gator men this season with seven individual event victories and four relay wins. The reigning 2010 NCAA and SEC Male Swimmer of the Year has already recorded a NCAA provisional mark in the 200-yard freestyle, swimming a national-best time of 1:36.53 against Virginia. For his efforts against the Cavaliers, the 2010-11 U.S. National Team member was named the SEC Male Swimmer of the Week for the first time in his career.
On the women’s side, freshman Elizabeth Beisel (North Kingstown, R.I.) has already recorded NCAA provisional marks in a staggering seven events (six individual, one relay), while winning a team-high eight individual events so far this season (10 total victories). After leading the women in points scored against Virginia, the 2008 Olympian became the first Gator freshman to be named SEC Female Swimmer of the Week since Feb. 3, 2009.
Senior diver Monica Dodson (Franklin, Ind.) has anchored the diving squads, being awarded SEC Female Diver of the Week for the first time in her career after setting the school record in the women’s three-meter diving competition against Virginia with a score of 362.11. The lone senior on the women’s swimming and diving team also placed first in the one-meter diving competition with a score of 296.93. Dodson has yet to lose on the three-meter boards this season, while winning three of the four events she has competed in so far during the 2010-11 campaign.
Broadcast Information: Florida vs. Georgia
The Florida Football team travels to Jacksonville on Saturday for its annual showdown with the Georgia Bulldogs. The game can be seen live on TV and online, and the audio broadcast is also available in multiple formats. Kickoff is set for 3:30pm ET.
PREGAME COVERAGE
RADIO
· XM Radio Ch. 141
· Sirius Ch. 121 (must have Best of XM package)
· Cox Ch. 946 (Gainesville)
· Listen Live (Yahoo!)
TELEVISION
TELEVISION REPLAYS
· Sunday, 10/31 – 8:30am – Sun Sports (Breakfast with the Gators presented by Regions Bank)
· Sunday, 10/31 – 9:00pm – CBS College Sports
· Monday, 11/1 – 9:00pm – CBS College Sports
· Tuesday, 11/2 – 2:00am – CBS College Sports
· Tuesday, 11/2 – 6:00am – CBS College Sports
· Tuesday, 11/2 – 12:00pm – CBS College Sports
· Tuesday, 11/2 – 11:00pm – Sun Sports (Breakfast with the Gators presented by Regions Bank)
· Wednesday, 11/3 – 6:00pm – CBS College Sports
· Thursday, 11/4 – 3:00pm – CBS College Sports
· Thursday, 11/4 – 8:30pm – CBS College Sports
Florida Gators teammates support Chris Rainey's return to the field
Plenty of people have questioned whether Chris Rainey should have been allowed to return to the Florida Gators football team following his arrest last month, but his teammates aren't among them.
Rainey will be on the field for the first time in seven weeks when Florida plays Georgia Saturday afternoon in Jacksonville.
And his teammates said reinstating him is the right thing - for Rainey and the team. They insist he's changed, and has shown a new personal maturity and dedication to the game.
"He's really changed as a person.'' quarterback John Brantley said. "He's changed his attitude toward football. He's working really hard. He just wants to get back out on the field and play, that's all he wants to do.''
"He's more mature,'' senior safety Ahmad Black said. "I like the way he's going about things now and taking care of himself.''
Rainey was arrested on Sept. 14 and charged with sending threatening text messages to a former girlfriend. After settling his legal issues, he was reinstated to the team and given a contract by Florida coach Urban Meyer outlining the rules by which he must abide to be eligible to play. Meyer said this week Rainey has met those obligations.
After moving from running back to wide receiver this season, Rainey will again see time in the backfield on Saturday due to multiple injuries at running back for the Gators. His teammates said having Rainey back is a huge boost for Florida's offense.
"He's very explosive, like a Percy (Harvin)-type and I think he's going to bring a lot,'' senior OL Marcus Gilbert said. "Explosiveness to the offense, pick plays. He's so much mature now in practice, he's ready. I felt bad for him because he loves this game. And for him being suspended, that kind of hurt me, to see him down walking around campus with his hoodie on. He just wanted to be out here and play. I think he's going to take full advantage of this chance.''
"Absolutely, he's a big playmaker for us,'' Brantley said. "He brings depth to our team and he can make plays at any time.''
Rainey will be on the field for the first time in seven weeks when Florida plays Georgia Saturday afternoon in Jacksonville.
And his teammates said reinstating him is the right thing - for Rainey and the team. They insist he's changed, and has shown a new personal maturity and dedication to the game.
"He's really changed as a person.'' quarterback John Brantley said. "He's changed his attitude toward football. He's working really hard. He just wants to get back out on the field and play, that's all he wants to do.''
"He's more mature,'' senior safety Ahmad Black said. "I like the way he's going about things now and taking care of himself.''
Rainey was arrested on Sept. 14 and charged with sending threatening text messages to a former girlfriend. After settling his legal issues, he was reinstated to the team and given a contract by Florida coach Urban Meyer outlining the rules by which he must abide to be eligible to play. Meyer said this week Rainey has met those obligations.
After moving from running back to wide receiver this season, Rainey will again see time in the backfield on Saturday due to multiple injuries at running back for the Gators. His teammates said having Rainey back is a huge boost for Florida's offense.
"He's very explosive, like a Percy (Harvin)-type and I think he's going to bring a lot,'' senior OL Marcus Gilbert said. "Explosiveness to the offense, pick plays. He's so much mature now in practice, he's ready. I felt bad for him because he loves this game. And for him being suspended, that kind of hurt me, to see him down walking around campus with his hoodie on. He just wanted to be out here and play. I think he's going to take full advantage of this chance.''
"Absolutely, he's a big playmaker for us,'' Brantley said. "He brings depth to our team and he can make plays at any time.''
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