Gator Country

Florida redshirt freshman middle blocker Betsy Smith makes an attack during the Gators' 3-0 win against MIssissippi State on Friday at the O'Connell Center. / Gator Country photo by Casey Brooke Lawson

Playing at home in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center for the first time since Aug. 31, the No. 5/5 Florida volleyball team was impressive in recording its 35th consecutive win in the series against Mississippi State with a 3-0 (25-12, 25-14, 25-18) sweep on Friday night.

Sophomore right-side/setter Kelly Murphy led the way for the Gators (9-1, 3-0 Southeastern Conference) with a match-high 12 kills on .476 hitting with a match-high 28 assists and seven digs for 14.0 total points, while sophomore outside hitter Colleen Ward added 11 kills, a match-high three service aces and seven digs. Ward led the team with 15.0 points.

Florida hit .390 as a team on Friday night, marking the squad’s highest team hitting efficiency in a SEC match so far this season and its second-highest efficiency of the year overall. The Gators out-dug the Bulldogs 46-27 and led in kills 52-25.

The Gators improve to 35-0 all-time vs. Mississippi State, including a 26-0 mark under Wise’s direction. The Bulldogs are one of four SEC teams Wise has never lost to during her Florida head coaching career. Florida holds a 105-3 set advantage in the all-time series following Friday’s match.

Florida returns to action on Sunday when it plays host to Alabama. Opening serve in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center is slated for 1:30 p.m.

UF Volleyball vs. Mississippi State, 9/26/09 (click here to view gallery)

DIRECTORY OF GATOR COUNTRY PHOTO GALLERIES

About the author

Casey Brooke Lawson

Casey Brooke Lawson earned a B.S. in journalism from the University of Florida in December 2008. Lawson was born in Sarasota, Fla., but now still resides in Gainesville, Fla. Lawson picked up her first camera before she could walk, and now, 24 years later, she has made a career of her first love. She has been working as a photojournalist for eight years. She began at her high school, Sarasota High School, interned with the Gainesville Sun, Sarasota Herald Tribune, The Independent Florida Alligator and Sports Illustrated. Now, Lawson is a regularly contributing photojournalist for Gator Country. Trained in sports photography by Gator Country's own Tim Casey, sports photojournalism has become one of Lawson's favorite parts of her job.

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