Mississippi State
Florida
No. 10 Gators Best VB Bulldogs In Straight Sets
October 05, 2008 | Volleyball
? Official Statistics
STARKVILLE, Miss. - No. 10 Florida (12-1, 6-0 SEC) staved off a determined Mississippi State challenge in the second set and cruised on a 3-0 win over the Bulldogs (6-10, 1-4 SEC) Sunday at the Newell-Grissom Building. The Gators claimed a 25-15 decision in the opening set and turned back State 25-22 in set No. 2 before cruising on to a match-clinching 25-11 set three win. "I continue to see improvement each time we play, even against a very talented and well-coached team like Florida," said MSU head coach Tina Seals. "It's encouraging to see our kids continue to compete hard and get better. And they are adapting to playing without one of our better players (senior outside hitter Cristina Jucan)." Jucan, projected as the offensive leader for State in 2008, is sidelined indefinitely with a back injury and has missed the last five matches. Current national and SEC player of the week Kelly Murphy led the Gators to their 12th win in 13 matches. Murphy tallied 15 kills and hit a sizzling .524. Kristy Jaeckel finished with 12 kills, including eight in the opening set when Florida stretched a 14-12 lead into a 25-15 win. Ashley Newsome and freshman Grace Hoyt, making her first SEC start of the year, combined for a block that gave State an early 3-1 edge in that opening stanza. Ioana Demian registered four of her team-leading nine kills in the second set as State threatened to even the match with solid play at the net. Demian knotted the score at 19-19 with a kill and Newsome followed with an unassisted kill following a Gator overpass to put State on top 20-19. State out-hit Florida in the set.258 to .147, but Florida parlayed a pair of MSU hitting errors and a combined three kills by Murphy and Jaeckel to storm back for a 25-22 win at the break. Florida raced out to a 3-1 lead only to see the Bulldogs pull ahead 8-7 moments later on a kill by Demian. State would get but one more kill in the match as the Gators, riding the strong serving of Jaeckel, went on an 11-0 run that sealed the match. Newsome and Faith Steinwedell finished with six kills and five total blocks each to pace State. State out-blocked Florida 9-3 in total team blocks The advantage at the service line went Florida's way. The gators served up nine aces with just three service errors, while State, held without an ace for the first time since 2006, had five service errors. The Bulldogs return to action Friday in Oxford, Miss., taking on instate SEC rival Ole Miss (7-7, 3-2 SEC) in a 7 p.m. match at UM's Gillom Sports Center.
? Official Statistics (PDF)
