OXFORD, Miss. – Teams that play good defense on the road generally have a great chance of winning. Such was the story Friday night for the top-ranked Florida Gators volleyball team.
The Gators outblocked the Rebel Bears 9.0-1.0 and also held Mississippi to a hitting efficiency of 0.67, and with junior Kelly Murphy adding her nation-leading sixth triple-double of the season, they earned a 3-0 (25-12, 25-21, 25-17) victory over Southeastern Conference Western Division co-leader Mississippi in the Gillom Sports Center.
The victory was the Gators’ 20th this season – and the 20th straight season the Gators have won 20 matches under coach Mary Wise – and it was their 15th straight since their only loss to then top-ranked Penn State. Florida improved to 13-0 in the SEC by hitting for .368, its fourth straight effort better than .300.
“I thought our team really brought its ‘A’ game today,” Wise said. “With the quick turnaround from Wednesday night’s match, the travel yesterday and playing in this environment against a really good Ole Miss team, the way we played was a real testament to our team’s maturity. I thought everyone gave their best effort today and we won this match with serving and blocking.”
Murphy’s 10 kills came on .562 hitting with a team-high 16 assists and a match-high 10 digs. She also added two service aces for a team-high 12.0 total points. It was Murphy’s sixth triple-double of the season and, impressively, her third in a three-set match this year. Murphy’s triple-double was the 21st of her collegiate career and it also marked her eighth consecutive double-double.
“Kelly was outstanding tonight, but she had a lot of help from her teammates around her,” Wise said. “This was a great win – Ole Miss had been undefeated at home and we came in and played really well with not a lot of preparation time. Ole Miss is an NCAA team that has a chance to win the SEC West.”
Sophomore right-side Tangerine Wiggs had nine kills on a .417 hitting efficiency with five blocks, while junior outside hitter Kristy Jaeckel and senior outside hitter Callie Rivers each had seven kills and six digs. Rivers hit .368 in the match, her third straight match hitting better than .350, and her second straight match without a single attack error.
Senior middle blocker Lauren Bledsoe had a match-high six blocks, while junior middle blocker Cassandra Anderson had three blocks. Freshman setter Chanel Brown had 13 assists and seven digs. Senior libero Erin Fleming had eight digs.
Florida returns to action next Friday at Georgia.
SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE STANDINGS
EASTERN DIVISION SEC/Overall
(1) Florida 13-0/20-1
(22) Tennessee 9-4/18-5
Kentucky 6-7/12-11
Georgia 3-10/11-13
South Carolina 2-10/5-17
WESTERN DIVISION SEC/Overall
(16) Louisiana State 11-2/20-2
Mississippi 10-3/16-6
Auburn 7-6/16-9
Arkansas 5-8/11-13
Mississippi State 3-9/11-12
Alabama 1-11/9-13
RESULTS
Friday / Oct. 29
Florida 3, Mississippi 0 (25-12, 25-21, 25-17)
Kentucky 3, Georgia 0 (25-20, 25-12, 25-17)
Tennessee 3, Auburn 0 (25-17, 25-16, 25-16)
Louisiana State 3, Mississippi State 0 (25-16, 25-13, 25-20)
Arkansas 3, Alabama 1 (25-20, 13-25, 25-16, 28-26)
Wednesday / Oct. 27
Florida 3, South Carolina 0 (25-20, 25-17, 25-13)
Tennessee 3, Louisville 1 (17-25, 25-23, 25-22, 28-26)
SCHEDULE
Sunday / Oct. 31
Auburn at Kentucky, 1 p.m. (FSN)
Georgia at Tennessee, 2 p.m. (CSS)
Mississippi State at Arkansas, 2:30 p.m.
Alabama at Louisiana State, 2:30 p.m.
South Carolina at Mississippi, 2:30 p.m.
Friday / Nov. 5
Florida at Georgia, 7 p.m.
Kentucky at Mississippi State, 8 p.m.
South Carolina at Auburn, 8 p.m.
Tennessee at Alabama, 8 p.m.
Mississippi at Arkansas, 8 p.m.
Sunday / Nov. 7
Florida at Auburn, 2 p.m. (CSS)
South Carolina at Georgia, 1:30 p.m.
Kentucky at Alabama, 2 p.m. (FSN)
Mississippi at Louisiana State, 2:30 p.m.
Tennessee at Mississippi State, 2:30 p.m.
Tuesday / Nov. 9
Kennesaw State at Georgia, 7 p.m.
Thursday / Nov. 11
Mississippi State at Florida, 7 p.m.
Friday / Nov. 12
Louisiana State at Tennessee, 3:30 p.m.
Mississippi at Georgia, 7 p.m.
Arkansas at Kentucky, 7 p.m.
Alabama at South Carolina, 7 p.m.
Saturday / Nov. 13
Mississippi State at South Carolina, 7 p.m.
Sunday / Nov. 14
Alabama at Florida, 1:30 p.m.
Louisiana State at Kentucky, 1:30 p.m.
Arkansas at Tennessee, 2 p.m. (CSS)
Mississippi at Auburn, 7 p.m.
Friday / Nov. 19
Florida at Arkansas, 8 p.m.
Auburn at Alabama, 8 p.m.
South Carolina at Louisiana State, 8 p.m.
Georgia at Mississippi State, 8 p.m.
Kentucky at Mississippi, 8 p.m.
Sunday / Nov. 21
Florida at Louisiana State, 2 p.m.
Georgia at Alabama, 2 p.m. (CSS)
Tennessee at Mississippi, 2:30 p.m. (ABC)
Auburn at Mississippi State, 2:30 p.m.
South Carolina at Arkansas, 2:30 p.m.
Wednesday / Nov. 24
Mississippi State at Alabama, 5 p.m.
Tennessee at Kentucky, 7 p.m.
Auburn at Georgia, 7 p.m.
Louisiana State at Arkansas, 8 p.m.
Thursday / Nov. 25
Georgia at Auburn, 7 p.m.
Friday / Nov. 26
Florida at South Carolina, 7 p.m.
For the latest Bison/American Volleyball Coaches Association Division I coaches poll, click below:
http://www.ncaa.com/sports/w-volley/division_i1.html
For the latest 2010 NCAA Women’s Volleyball RPI rankings, click below:
http://web1.ncaa.org/app_data/weeklyrpi/2010WVBrpi1.html