ESPN 98.1 FM – 850 AM WRUF ESPN 98.1 FM – 850 AM WRUF
Still reeling from the nightmares of Georgia Tech, the Florida volleyball team was back in action Thursday afternoon looking for a get-right game. They got just that against Alabama State.
In a match that was never close, the Gators (6-2) leveled Alabama State 3-0 (25-13, 25-12, 25-11), winning each set in dominant fashion.
An Abnormal Afternoon
With an aggressive, fast-paced offense, Florida can score a lot of points quickly. Often, the Gators finish matches with over 40 or 50 kills. That wasn’t the case against Alabama State (3-5). While the Gators got the job done, it wasn’t necessarily their offense that put the nail in the coffin.
Florida scored an efficient 30 kills with only four errors en route to a .456 hitting percentage. The vast majority of their points, though, came on Alabama State errors.
The Hornets were plagued by communication difficulties and poor offensive attacking. In the quick three-set match, Alabama State had 22 attacking errors, almost giving Florida an entire set through bad offensive execution.
The Hornets were no better in the other facets of the match. Alabama State had 16 reception errors, along with seven service errors. Overall, the Hornets gave Florida 45 of its 75 points.
S3 | THREE STRAIGHT ACES?!?! Okayyyy, Elli🤯
Gators 6 | Hornets 1#GoGators pic.twitter.com/5RWwWEmkA5
— Gators Volleyball (@GatorsVB) September 12, 2024
All the Gators
As is the case in many blowout matchups, the teams turned toward its benches down the stretch. For Florida, it was more of an emptying.
The Gators saw 13 of their 15 available players get time, with new contributors having an effect.
Outside hitter Lauren Harden was one of the most notable. The freshman registered her first kill of the season. She followed that with three more, helping the Gators close out the Hornets in rapid fashion. She led the Gators with an unheard of 1.000 hitting percentage, taking advantage of her four opportunities.
Gator firsts 🥹#GoGators pic.twitter.com/mO5TU8GPiH
— Gators Volleyball (@GatorsVB) September 12, 2024
Harden was one of five freshman to play for the Gators, including libero Bella Lee, who made her first appearance of the year.
The typical Gators freshmen starters, Taylor Parks, Alec Rothe and Jaela Auguste, all put in their average performances, contributing heavily to the Florida win. Parks logged 24 assists, while Rothe and Auguste combined for nine kills. The three have stepped into the Gators lineup early in the season and have been key to Florida’s success. With the Gators only two weeks away from SEC play, it’ll be worth watching the role freshmen continue to play.
Up Next
After closing their time in Atlanta with a 1-1 record, the Gators will head back to Gainesville to play rival Florida State. Florida will welcome the Seminoles to the O’Connell Center on Tuesday at 7 p.m. (ESPN).
