Mary Wise’s eighth-ranked Florida Gators had been waiting all summer for this volleyball season to begin. Even though the Gators aren’t ranked in the top five to start the season, there is plenty of optimism that this talented and deep team can advance deep in the post season. Friday night, the Gators got the season off to a great start with a straight set (25-16, 25-23, 25-19) win over UNLV in their season opening match at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center.
“I think we were relieved to finally get started,” said senior libero Elyse Cusack, who recorded 11 digs in the match. “We’ve been waiting for so long. There was a lot of anticipation going into this. I think early it showed our nerves. We were really excited. But I think we pulled it together and got a good win today.”
The Rebels didn’t beat themselves with errors, making the Gators earn every point they got.
“When you’re serving that many points and not getting any given to you, then good things are happening,” Wise said. “I was really pleased in terms of our ability to stay in the long rallies, which we knew Vegas would do. They have a great ability to bring balls back.”
Even though the teams played in the regular season finale last year, a match the Gators also won in straight sets, it still took a little while for Florida to adjust to the UNLV defense. The Rebels recorded four blocks in the first set to keep the Gators on their toes, but were unable to convert their defense into enough offense to win a set on the night.
“We really didn’t know what to expect coming in,”sophomore Kelly Murphy said. “We just came in a little excited to play and tried to hit really hard. You have to give them credit, those were some good blocks. I think after we got adjusted it was a little better.”
Murphy started off a little slow herself, recording three errors in each of the first two sets, but ultimately turned in a solid overall performance in helping lead the Gators to victory, notching 12 kills and 16 assists on the night.
The Gators got behind early in the second set, but pulled away when third-year sophomore Kristy Jaeckel stepped up and recorded six of her 12 kills in the set. Jaeckel had a very efficient match, ringing up a .647 attacking percentage.
Jaeckel, who redshirted her freshman year, showed why she could be one of Florida’s key players this year.
“This is the beauty of her being redshirted her freshmen year,” Wise said. “This is the third year in the making, how much stronger she is and how much more physical she is. She’s going to be able to score points for us in the front row and she goes back there to serve.”
Many of Murphy’s and Jaeckel’s kills came off great sets from New Mexico State transfer Brynja Rogers. In her first match as a Gator, Rogers recorded 21 assists and showed that the already formidable Gators have a potent new piece to a very talented puzzle.
“I think the Gator fans are just seeing a glimpse of what we have for the next two years,” Wise said. “Remember, she’s been here three weeks. She’s still getting the feel for it. I think Brynja had a great coming out party.”
Rogers not only filled up the stat sheet, but she did it with style. It may take the Gators a little while to get used to her innovative approach to setting up her teammates, but in the long-run it will just make them that much more powerful on offense.
“With Brynja setting, you don’t know who’s going to get the ball,” Wise said. “She kind of takes away all the stereotypes of if the ball is passed on this part of the court most of the balls will be set here. She is very creative and the hitters have to be ready. I think there were a couple of times that I was like, ‘Wow, I can’t believe she made that set.’”
With Rogers joining Murphy in the lineup, the Gators have a two-headed monster to set up teammates and that will make the Gators that much more difficult to defend.
“They’re great,” Jaeckel said. “They’re both really smart setters who know where to put the ball and how to get their hitters good looks to get kills, so I think we’re really lucky to have both of them.”
Sophomore Colleen Ward also turned in a strong performance for Florida, scoring 10 kills on a .421 attacking percentage while also adding two blocks. Sophomore Cassandra Anderson chipped in with an efficient night of three kills on five attacks while coming up with four key blocks.
While the Gators put together a strong first performance of the season, they know that it will take a little while before they get into a groove and start playing up to their potential.
“It always takes a couple of matches before you get back into the swing of things,” Cusack said. “We did start slow, but we had a couple of great moments tonight too.”
Those moments will start coming more frequently with time as the Gators start working on hitting their stride and reaching the ultimate goal.
“We showed good signs,” Wise said. “It’s all about trying to be a great team come December. That?s the goal.”