This gallery is a taste of what is ahead for Gator Country subscribers. All season long, Gator Country will provide the most comprehensive coverage of the UF volleyball team. Extensive photo galleries, game stories, previews and player features will be posted every week, so make sure to subscribe to Gator Country today to avoid missing out!
Sophomore Florida outside hitter Kristy Jaeckel tallied a match-high 12 kills on a stellar .647 hitting clip Friday to help lead the No. 8/9 Gators to their sixth consecutive season-opening victory, a 3-0 (25-16, 25-23, 25-19) win against UNLV in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center.
The Gators (1-0) have now won six consecutive season-opening matches and improve to 18-8 all-time in lid-lifting matches. Florida is 15-4 under head coach Mary Wise in season openers.
Jaeckel’s 12 kills came on 17 swings for a .647 hitting percentage – the second-best hitting efficiency of her career. She also charted a service ace in the match.
Jaeckel was one of three Florida players to register double-digit kills as sophomore right-side/setter Kelly Murphy notched her 22nd career double-double with 12 kills on .261 hitting with 16 assists for a team-high 13.5 points. Sophomore outside hitter Colleen Ward charted 10 kills on .421 hitting and two blocks.
Senior libero Elyse Cusack led the team’s defensive effort with 11 digs, which moves her within 14 digs of breaking into the Southeastern Conference’s all-time top-five for career digs. She now has 1,645 career scoops, just one match into her senior campaign.
Junior transfer setter Brynja Rodgers dished out a match-high 21 assists in her Florida debut, demonstrating relentless effort and impressive versatility in her sets.
Sophomore middle blocker Cassandra Anderson tallied four blocks in the match, picking up where she left off last season at the net.
Florida returns to action on Saturday when it plays host to Colorado at 7 p.m. ET in the final match of the Campus USA Credit Union Invitational.
Photo Gallery: UF Volleyball vs. UNLV, 8/28/09
DIRECTORY OF GATOR COUNTRY PHOTO GALLERIES