University of Florida’s AC Fitzpatrick (0) spikes the ball during the match against Florida Gulf Coast University at the O’Connell Center last year. [Caleb Ross/WRUF]

Florida Volleyball Gets Back On Track Against Southern Indiana

Noah White September 7, 2024 Gators Sports, Gators Volleyball, SEC, Volleyball 166 Views

It was an afternoon of redemption.

As a hopeful prequel to their male counterparts on the football field Saturday night, the No. 10 Florida volleyball team was able to rebound Saturday afternoon from a surprise defeat Friday night with a strong 3-0 (25-21, 25-16, 25-19) victory against Southern Indiana.

The Gators (4-1) dropped their first match of the Florida Invitational to South Florida 3-2. Back in the O’Connell Center on Saturday, it was all Florida.

A Back-and-Forth Start

After a sloppy evening against USF, Florida looked to waste no time setting the tone against Southern Indiana (2-3). It didn’t get off to the start it likely wanted.

The match began with Isabel Martin putting down the opening kill, the same as she did Friday. From there, Florida and Southern Indiana nearly traded points.

Each team committed its fair share of errors, with Florida leading after the first set with 11. The Gators were able to overcome their messy play with offensive firepower. Five Florida players registered multiple kills in the first set, with AC Fitzpatrick leading the way with seven. Fittingly, her seventh kill took the first set for the Gators, 25-21.

David Vs. Goliath

When Florida and Southern Indiana announced their lineups for the Saturday matinee, there was a clear discrepancy. Florida started three players who were 6-foot-2 or taller, while the Screaming Eagles’ tallest player registered at 6-foot. The difference in height was noticeable.

Florida’s offense, especially from the outside hitter position, had almost no issue hitting around (or over) Southern Indiana’s block. The Gators accounted for 44 kills in the match.

More noticeably, Florida’s defense towered over Southern Indiana. The Gators tallied 10 blocks, notably above their season average. When the seeming giants weren’t getting blocks, they were forcing errors, as Southern Indiana committed 23 attack errors, including 12 in Florida’s critical second-set victory.

A Different Starring Outside

In the first few Florida volleyball matches of the year, it had been Isabel Martin who powered the Gators offense. Saturday afternoon, it was AC Fitzpatrick.

The fifty-year senior outside hitter hadn’t been a snub on the Florida team so far this season, holding 37 kills, good for second best on the roster. But, Saturday she took over, leading the Gators with 18 kills. She played a critical role in the Gators’ first-set victory, logging the final two points in Florida’s tight win.

Her defensive effort was also notable. Although only standing 5-foot-11, Fitzpatrick made her presence known on the net. The outside hitter recorded four total blocks to accompany two digs.

Up Next

The Gators will close out the Florida Invitational against Ohio State, who will play USF later Saturday. The game will be played at 4 p.m. Sunday (ESPN 2).

Southern Indiana will matchup with South Florida in the opener Sunday at 1 p.m.

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About Noah White

I'm a sophomore at the University of Florida, majoring in journalism and public relations. I enjoy playing soccer and volleyball with friends, watching movies with my girlfriend and, of course, writing. I also know more about Liberty League women's soccer than you do.

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