Florida head coach Mary Wise talks with her team before their match against New Hampshire.

USF Volleyball Upsets Florida In Invitational

Noah White September 6, 2024 Gators Sports, Gators Volleyball, SEC, USF, Volleyball 192 Views

Sometimes, it’s not good to be back home.

After a weekend road trip to Colorado, the No. 10 Gators were back in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center on Friday night and got off to a strong first-set lead over South Florida. They weren’t able to hold on to it.

The USF Bulls defeated Florida 3-2 (15-25, 25-22, 12-25, 25-23, 15-10) in its first match of the Florida Invitational, winning each of its sets by an average of three points.

A Tight Showing

Throughout the I-75 matchup, Florida (3-1) held impressive leads, but it couldn’t close the game.

After multiple sets that saw the Gators dominate, the fourth set came down to the wire. The Gators led early, holding a controlling 12-5 lead, but with a combination of impressive hitting from the Bulls and Florida errors, USF (1-3) was able to draw out the fourth set, 25-23.

Entering a deciding fifth set, Florida looked to stabilize its defense. It wasn’t able to do it.

USF outlasted Florida in a back-and-forth affair that saw the Gators plagued with errors, winning the fifth set 15-10.

Discombobulated Performance

Down the stretch, Florida never seemed to be able to get into a rhythm. An offense that is typically efficient and more than capable of holding with almost any opponent lost all of its flow.

The Gators committed 22 attack errors, while the team only hit .259, their first time hitting below .300 this season.

While the Gators defense started the match strong, it struggled with communication and serve-receive in the later sets.

Florida only committed three return errors, but was plagued by poor serve reception throughout the later sets, often forcing their offense out of system.

The USF offense strived off of Florida’s poor returns, taking advantage with four players registering double-digit kills. The Bulls were led by Ally Cavanaugh and Maria Clara Andrade, who each recorded 18 kills.

An Abnormal Opposite-Hitting Star

Florida fans are used to watching opposite-hitter dominance in the O’ Dome behind the likes of Kennedy Martin. The sophomore dominated the SEC in her first season, touting a variety of accolades and 492 kills, the most by a Florida freshman ever.

On Friday evening, it was a different opposite hitter who starred.

USF was led by Cavanaugh, a sophomore, in its impressive road effort. Cavanaugh finished the match with 18 kills from her opposite-hitter position, including seven in the important second set.

Early Dominant Florida Defense

Welcoming fellow Florida competition in USF, the Gators wasted no time establishing their in-state dominance.

Florida was aided by impressive defensive play from its young lineup, with the team recording five blocks in the first set alone. Outside hitter AC Fitzpatrick contributed to four of those first-set blocks, while freshman opposite hitter Alec Rothe put down an impressive solo block in the final points.

Libero Elli McKissock and defensive specialist Emily Canaan tallied six and four digs, respectively, in the first set, establishing the tone for Florida’s defense.

The Gators were able to draw out the first set 25-15, showing no signs of their later difficulty.

One Martin for Another

One bright spot in the Florida lineup remains Isabel Martin.

Florida entered the 2024 season expecting to lean on returning All-SEC opposite hitter Kennedy Martin. Instead, it’s been redshirt senior transfer Isabel Martin who’s led the Gators offense.

With Kennedy Martin remaining a scratch from the lineup due to injury, UNLV transfer Isabel Martin has stepped into the spotlight. Isabel Martin entered the match leading the Gators in kills with 40. Additionally, she was hitting a consistent .353. Against USF, she only improved that mark. Martin dominated the first set, notching six kills, including both the first and last points. She finished the match with 19 kills.

The Freshman Show

The Gators started a lineup that featured three freshmen. Opposite hitter Rothe, middle blocker Jaela Auguste and setter Taylor Parks each played in their fourth match of the season. They’ve been a staple of the Florida lineup.

Rothe and Parks are both filling in for injured UF stars Kennedy Martin and setter Alexis Stucky, respectively. Rothe has been a force on the right side, recording 21 kills on 48 attempts entering the USF match. She added 14 kills to that total on a .345 hitting percentage.

Parks, who’s running the Gators offense in her first year with the team, was selected as the SEC Freshman of the Week following her performances in Colorado. She wasted no time getting back into rhythm Friday, recording 46 assists and 13 digs.

Up Next

Florida will next face the University of Southern Indiana (2-2) on Saturday in its second game of the Florida Invitational. The Gators showdown with the Eagles will begin at 4 p.m.

The Gators wrap up the Invitational on Sunday when they face Ohio State at 4 p.m. (ESPN2).

In the first match Friday, Ohio State (3-0) defeated USI 3-1. The Buckeyes play USF at 6 p.m. Saturday.

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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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