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Florida’s volleyball team brought home a convincing three-set win over Ole Miss in Oxford on Wednesday night.
It’s the third straight away game for the Gators, going 2-1 on the road trip. It was a close game despite the sweep, seeing only a point difference of 10 between the three sets. The No. 19 Gators (14-4, 6-3 SEC) have looked shaky as of late and hope that this game can set a precedent for the rest of the season. Ole Miss falls to 8-14, 2-9.
SWEEP SZN IN OXFORD ‼️#GoGators | Presented by @WellsFargo pic.twitter.com/vcxniWv8eY
— Gators Volleyball (@GatorsVB) October 26, 2023
Dominant Gator Defense
The Florida defense came out with a game plan to shut down the Ole Miss hitters. The Rebels hit at a clip of .185 and had 37 kills over the three sets. The Gator front line caged star Ole Miss blocker Sasha Ratliff all night. The senior hit a hitting percentage of .176 and seven kills. Ratliff has averaged 2.59 kills per set.
Gators blockers Gabbi Essix and Nnedi Okammor are credited for much of the defensive success against the Rebels. The duo gained three and five blocks, respectively, as the Gators scored a total of nine blocks. The wall created a base for the Florida defense that showed it through the tight sets.
Libero Elli McKissock picked up 19 digs in the match, leading all players. The senior was everywhere as she kept the ball from hitting the deck.
Side by side 💪#GoGators pic.twitter.com/fsAuVRACqu
— Gators Volleyball (@GatorsVB) October 21, 2023
Kennedy Duo Shines
The partnership of Kennedy Martin and Kennedy Muff really seems to be coming together after a bit of a rough patch earlier in the season. Martin was able to post 19 kills coming off the back of Muff’s 40 assists on the day. Muff also had two blocks and four digs.
The freshman hitter and graduate setter seem to be creating some chemistry that should only improve as the season goes on.
Okayyy, Kennedy 👀#GoGators pic.twitter.com/khCkT0bKCL
— Gators Volleyball (@GatorsVB) October 26, 2023
Back to The Swamp
Florida comes back home to take on No. 10 Arkansas on Sunday. This will be an important game to test the strength of this Gator team without Alexis Stucky. Arkansas poses a major threat to Florida’s SEC title hopes and a win against the Hogs would be a major statement. First serve is set for 1 p.m. in the O’Dome and will air on SEC Network+ and ESPN 98.1-FM/850-AM WRUF.
