AUBURN, Ala. – The No. 1 Florida volleyball team had its most blocks in a single match since 2007 and the Gators needed every one of them to escape the Student Activities Center Sunday with a hard-fought 3-2 (25-23, 18-25, 21-25, 25-23, 15-11) victory over Auburn.
The Gators (22-1, 15-0 Southeastern Conference) fought back from a six-point deficit to win the opening set before dropping the second and third sets. Florida’s blocking effort came alive in the fourth frame, as the Gators recorded nine rejections over the final two sets en route to improving to 3-0 this season in five-set matches.
Florida recorded 17.0 total team blocks in the match, marking its most blocks since recording 17.5 against Arkansas on Oct. 12, 2007. The Gators out-blocked the Tigers 17-10 in the match, including a 9-2 edge in the final two sets. Florida hit .244 for the match, while Auburn hit .221.
“This was a match where we got Auburn’s best shot,” Florida head coach Mary Wise said. “I thought they played terrific today. I think we learned a lot about ourselves by surviving this match. To win 3-0 on the road like we did on Friday just doesn’t happen too often. I give a lot of credit to how hard Auburn played.”
Senior outside hitter Callie Rivers led the way for the Gators offensively, charting her second double-double of the season with a season-high 15 kills on .216 hitting with 13 digs for a team-high 16.0 total points. For the weekend, Rivers averaged a squad-best 3.62 kills per set on .317 hitting and was second on the team with 2.12 digs per set.
Senior middle blocker Lauren Bledsoe logged a season-high 12 kills on .400 hitting with a season-high nine blocks. Bledsoe was a key factor in Florida turning around the match midway through the fourth set as she was a part of six blocks during that frame, including four consecutive blocks at one point.
“I think the match definitely turned around with Lauren’s play in the fourth set,” Wise said. “She took it to another level today and just had the look of a senior who refused to lose.”
Sophomore right-side Tangerine Wiggs recorded a career-high 10 blocks and had seven kills on 14 swings with no errors for a .500 hitting efficiency. Junior middle blocker Cassandra Anderson added seven blocks and posted six kills on .312 hitting.
Junior right-side/setter Kelly Murphy logged her 10th consecutive double-double with 11 kills and 25 assists, while junior outside hitter Kristy Jaeckel added nine kills and 10 digs. It marked the fourth time this season that Jaeckel has reached double-figure dig totals.
Senior libero Erin Fleming headed Florida’s back-row effort by tying her career high with 21 digs. Fleming also charted 21 digs against Penn State on Sept. 10. Freshman setter Chanel Brown tied for the team high in assists with 25.
Auburn (17-11, 8-8 SEC) received a superstar performance from sophomore outside hitter Sarah Bullock who recorded her eighth double-double of the season with 20 kills, 17 digs and three blocks for a match-high 21.5 total points. Morgan Johns added 14 kills and four blocks for the Tigers.
Florida returns to action on Thursday when it plays host to Mississippi State at 7 p.m.
SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE STANDINGS
EASTERN DIVISION SEC/Overall
(1) Florida 15-0/22-1
(22) Tennessee 12-4/21-5
Kentucky 8-8/14-12
Georgia 4-12/12-15
South Carolina 2-13/5-20
WESTERN DIVISION SEC/Overall
(16) Louisiana State 13-2/22-2
Mississippi 11-5/17-8
Auburn 8-8/17-11
Arkansas 7-8/13-13
Mississippi State 3-12/11-15
Alabama 2-13/10-15
RESULTS
Sunday / Nov. 7
Florida 3, Auburn 2 (25-23, 18-25, 21-25, 25-23, 15-11)
Georgia 3, South Carolina 0 (25-23, 25-14, 25-20)
Alabama 3, Kentucky 2 (16-25, 20-25, 25-21, 25-23, 15-13)
Louisiana State 3, Mississippi 1 (23-25, 25-15, 28-26, 25-21)
Tennessee 3, Mississippi State 0 (25-17, 25-18, 25-15)
Friday / Nov. 5
Florida 3, Georgia 0 (25-22, 25-18, 25-13)
Kentucky 3, Mississippi State 1 (25-17, 18-25, 25-19, 25-18)
Auburn 3, South Carolina 0 (25-18, 25-23, 25-13)
Tennessee 3, Alabama 2 (28-26, 19-25, 23-25, 25-19, 15-10)
Arkansas 3, Mississippi 1 (25-23, 19-25, 25-20, 25-20)
SCHEDULE
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.