Brynja Rodgers had no idea the intensity of the Florida-Florida State rivalry until Monday night when she got an up close and personal introduction. By the time she gave fifth-ranked Florida a five-set win over the Seminoles with a service ace that clipped the top of the net, the transfer from New Mexico State understood just how special it is any time the Gators can beat their biggest rival.
Until Rodgers got a look at the Seminoles on film, she was unaware of the fierceness of any Florida-FSU encounter no matter what the sport.
“I really didn’t know exactly how it would feel, exactly how it would be about until we got into film,” Rodgers said after Florida’s 25-19, 23-25, 25-20, 22-25, 17-15 win over FSU. “Then the girls were like, ‘I remember this from last year. I remember that from last year. I remember this girl and that girl’ and I was like, wow, these two teams really like to go at it.”
What she saw in the film room couldn’t compare what happened on the Stephen C. O’Connell Center Court where 3,763 fans took the intensity to a whole new level as the Gators extended their winning streak over FSU to 18 consecutive matches and their home match winning streak to 61. The Gators are 32-16 all-time against the Seminoles but 25-2 in Coach Mary Wise’s 19 years on the job.
Rodgers got to be a hero in her first Florida-FSU match but she spent more time crediting her team for its hard work than she did taking credit for her match-deciding serve.
“I really rose to the occasion, as did the team,” Rodgers said. “The team worked super, super hard in each of those five games. And we worked super, super hard in practice. We’ve really been getting ready for this team and to pull it off, especially in five games is a good feeling.”
Perhaps the biggest difference from her New Mexico State days was the electric atmosphere that came along with the rivalry.
“This crowd was awesome,” Rodgers said. “To play in a gym with this much noise — it really comes down to noise — and the momentum of both teams made for an excellent, excellent match.”
The crowd was so dynamic, in fact, that Wise felt it gave her team just enough of an edge to tip the victory in Florida’s favor.
“I think you could make an argument that the MVP of tonight’s match was the crowd,” Wise said. “Our goal as a team needs to be to raise our execution to the level this crowd was at tonight. I don’t know if we win this in Tallahassee. I don’t know if we can win this on a neutral court. But we won it tonight.”
Rodgers wasn’t Florida’s only hero. Junior Lauren Bledsoe delivered a career-high 15 kills, including the go-ahead 16th point in the final set. Bledsoe hit for power and average, finishing with a sizzling .500 attack percentage.
“There were a few rotations we felt we had the matchup for Lauren and I thought she really delivered,” Wise said. “We called her number many times that the ball was going to go to her and she made some great swings.”
A career day against the Seminoles just made it that much sweeter for Bledsoe, a Californian who, like Rodgers, had to learn just how intense it gets when the Gators and Seminoles square off.
“I’m from California and I’ve heard about that all the way over there,” Bledsoe said. “This is a huge match. It’s so much more than just a game. It’s a bitter rivalry. It means everything.”
The Gators had to come from behind in the final set, rallying to tie at 12-12, 13-13, 14-14 and 15-15. They got their break when Bledsoe went cross-court to make it 16-15, setting up Rodgers for the final serve, which changed direction and found open space in the court for a match-deciding ace that put an end to this emotional battle that Wise said will benefit the Gators over the long haul.
“No matter what had happened in that final game, we’re a better team for having played this match,” Wise said. “We can refer back to it when we play a team who runs the middle as well as Florida State, or they have as tough a server or as hard-nosed a libero (as they did). We’ll be able to reference their players and this match all season long.”
The Gators were staring down their first loss of the season when they found the mental fortitude and physical toughness to rally for the win.
“This match was good for us,” said sophomore Kelly Murphy. “It gives us a lot of confidence. Being down 14-13 in the fifth game and come back like that just proves that we can stay calm and come through at the end.”
Murphy proved why she was named the National Freshman of the Year last year with yet another dominating all-around performance. She came up just one short of her career-high in assists in setting up her teammates 34 times to go along with eight kills and eight digs.
Sophomore Kristy Jaeckel led the way with 17 kills, while also digging out 10 balls. Sophomore Colleen Ward contributed an equally impressive performance with 15 kills and 13 digs to go along with three blocks.
Senior libero Elyse Cusack anchored the Gators back line defense with 19 digs. As important as her digs was her steady presence in such a nerve-wracking match.
“She is such a calming influence on us in terms of serve reception,” Wise said.
But even with Florida’s veterans supplying so much, it took a newcomer to provide the winning margin. With one play, Rodgers experienced both the high of being the hero and the emotion of beating Florida State. At that moment, she began to understand why her teammates were so emotionally high-stung leading up to the match.
“Once the ace went down, I was overwhelmed,” Rodgers said. “The crowd went wild and my teammates were jumping up and down. It was a great feeling. I really couldn’t put it in words right now. Maybe in a few days.”
No matter how long it takes her to put into words, it’s an experience Rodgers and her teammates will never forget.