Alabama
15-6, 2-5SEC
Florida
17-3, 8-0SEC
Alabama Falls to Florida in Three Sets Sunday
10/14/2018 2:12:00 PM | Volleyball
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Alabama dropped a three-set decision Sunday to No. 11 Florida on the road, falling by set scores of 23-25, 18-25 and 16-25.
Alabama (15-6, 2-5 SEC) lost a close two-point opening set to 11th-ranked Florida (17-3, 8-0 SEC) but the Gators won the remaining two by increasing margins of seven points, 25-18, and nine points, 25-16. Junior Hayley McSparin led the Crimson Tide's offensive effort with nine kills out of the middle, while senior Quincey Gary finished the match with five digs, putting her four away from fourth place on the Tide's career digs list.
After trading back and forth to open the first set, Alabama scored three-straight to take a 7-5 lead. Florida retook the lead at 9-8 but the Tide quickly responded with back-to-back points off a kill from senior Cidavia Hall and an ace from Gary to move ahead 10-9. The Gators answered back with a 4-0 run to surge ahead 13-10 before Alabama called its first team timeout. Alabama kept it close and eventually fought back to tie it at 18-18 after a long rally ended in a kill from junior Mahalia Swink. Florida called its first timeout, building a 23-21 lead down the stretch before Alabama spent its final team timeout. Florida won the set four points later, 25-23.
The Gators maintained a slim lead to open the second set, leading 12-8 at the halfway mark as the Tide called its first timeout. Alabama scored three unanswered after the break to make it a one-point game, 12-11, and the Tide kept it within one until, with the score 17-16, a 5-1 Gator run gave the home team some cushion to lead 22-17 at Alabama's second timeout. Florida held on to win the set, 25-19, and take a 2-0 match lead.
With Alabama ahead 4-3 in set three, Florida scored four in a row to move up 7-4 and the Tide looked to halt the momentum with an early timeout. Alabama took its final timeout later trailing by five, 13-8. Later leading 14-10, Florida scored six straight to take a double-digit lead, 20-10, and held on to win, 25-16, and complete the sweep.
Alabama returns to Tuscaloosa Wednesday, Oct. 17, to face Mississippi State at 6 p.m. CT on ESPNU.
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