No.
12 Florida State snapped their 21-match losing streak to the Florida Gators, as
the Seminoles swept the No. 11 Gators, 25-23, 25-22, 25-21, to defeat Florida
for the first time since Oct. 31, 1994. The Florida loss ends the Gators’
14-match winning streak in 2012 and the Noles remain undefeated at Tully
Gymnasium since August 26, 2011, taking 21 consecutive home contests. The
Gators are now 17-3 on the season with all three losses coming to ranked
opponents.
“I
have to give all the credit to Florida State,” Florida head coach Mary Wise said.
“They were the better team tonight.”
Florida
was led by freshman Živa Recek (Kočevje, Slovenia), who had her
fourth double-double of her career with 16 kills and a career-high-tying 15
digs. Senior right-side hitter Tangerine Wiggs (Seattle, Wash.) and
junior middle blocker Chloe Mann (Gainesville, Fla.) each turned in 10
kills on the night, with Wiggs hitting a match-high .421 and Mann stuffed a
match-high four blocks. Freshman outside hitter Gabby Mallette (Orange
Park, Fla.) added seven kills on the night.
The
Gators surpassed the Seminoles in nearly every category, but Florida dug
themselves into holes too big to climb out of, having to overcome large
deficits throughout the match to catch up to Florida State.
The
first set went Florida State’s way, 25-23. The teams battled to start, with no
team taking more than a two-point lead in the opening points. Smith and
Brauneis teamed up for a stuff block to tie the frame, 3-3. An out-of-system
kill for Mallette gave the Gators a one-point edge, 6-5. The Noles went on a
4-0 run to take an 11-8 lead and force a Gator timeout. Wiggs slammed one on
the back line to end the FSU run, UF down 11-9. Smith found the floor with a
kill of her own to keep the FSU lead to two, UF down 13-11. A Mallette kill off
the block put Florida within one of Florida State’s advantage, 14-13.
The
Gators continued to surge, tying the set off a Florida State miscue, 16-16. A
Mann overpass kill gave Florida its first lead since 8-7, forcing a Seminole
timeout at 17-16. Wiggs found the seam of the FSU block to continue the UF
lead, 20-19. A Recek kill down the line forced the second Seminole timeout of
the stanza with the Gators leading, 22-21. Mallette slammed one through the
seam of the block to get Florida within two of the set, 23-22. The Seminoles
scored two straight to set up set point and force a Gator timeout with UF down
24-23. A Florida hitting error tilted the first set in the Noles’ direction,
25-23.
The
second frame was a 25-22 victory for Florida State, despite Florida storming
out of a seven-point hole to pull within two late in the stanza. FSU came out
strong out of the gate, taking a 7-3 lead and forcing UF to take timeout. A
Recek kill out of backrow stopped the Seminole run, UF down 7-4, and a Mann
solo stuff kept things tight, 8-5. A Wiggs kill put Florida within striking
distance, down 11-8. FSU went on a 4-1 to extend their lead 15-9. A tip over
the block by Mallette stopped the FSU run, 15-10. The Gators cut the Noles’
lead to four with a kill by Mallette but FSU continued to surge, as UF burned a
timeout with the Seminoles leading 20-13. Florida scored two straight,
including a solo stuff for Recek, to cut the lead to five, down 20-15.
A
Smith overpass tip nipped the Noles’ lead to four, forcing an FSU timeout with
UF down 21-17. Smith and Brauneis teamed up for a block to get the Gators
within three, down 21-18. Smith slammed an FSU overpass to keep Florida within
three, down 23-20, and a clutch Sundai Weston (Naples, Fla.) dig
followed by a Recek kill put the Orange and Blue within two, 23-21. Another
Recek kill out of the backrow saved a set point at 24-22 but the Noles took the
set, 25-22, off a Mara Green kill.
FSU
jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the third set behind the serve of setter Duygu
Duzceler. The Noles continued to surge, forcing a Florida timeout with FSU out
in front, 9-4. The Gators pulled within four off a Recek solo block, down 10-6.
The Seminoles continued to find holes in the Gators’ defense as Florida State
pulled away, 15-7, at the media timeout. Freshman middle blocker Simone Antwi
(Fairfax Station, Va.) put down a kill to briefly pause the Seminole
streak, down 15-8. Florida State took timeout after a Mann-Wiggs stuff with
Florida down 17-10.
The
Gators put together a run out of the timeout, cutting the Seminoles’ lead to
five with a Wiggs kill at 18-13. Florida put together another three straight
points to cut the FSU lead to two, 18-16. Florida kept the FSU lead at two,
21-19, but the Seminoles served up an ace to get FSU to match point, 24-20. A
Recek kill saved match point, 24-21, but an Ashley Neff kill gave the Gators
the match, 25-21.
