Volleyball Hosts No. 13 Florida on Sunday
10/15/2011 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Oct. 15, 2011
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - This week, the Alabama Crimson Tide (10-10, 3-6 SEC) will host a pair of Southeastern Conference matches. The Tide opened the week on Friday night with a 3-0 win over South Carolina at Foster Auditorium. UA closes the week when its hosts the No. 13 ranked Florida Gators (14-3, 7-1 SEC) on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. CT. Florida is coming off a 3-0 win at Mississippi on Friday night. Sunday's match will be televised on FSN Sports South with Pete Pranica and Phil Bush calling the action. The match will also be rebroadcasted on Monday night on WVUA at 7 p.m.
Alabama (10-10, 3-6 SEC) vs. No. 13 Florida (14-3, 7-1 SEC)
October 16, 2011 | Tuscaloosa, Ala. | Foster Auditorium | 1 p.m. CT
TV: FSN Sports South |Audio: WVUA 90.7 FM | Live Stats: RollTide.com | Video: None
Alabama's home match against Florida will have a live radio broadcast available on WVUA 90.7 FM and online at WVUA-FM.ua.edu. Due to the game being televised on FSN Sports South, there will not be a webcast available on RollTide.com. Livestats will also be available on RollTide.com for Sunday's match against Florida.
Friday night's Alabama women's volleyball match against South Carolina marked the first event of the Alabama Athletics department's third annual "Power of Pink" program, sponsored by Tuscaloosa Toyota. Prior to the start of the match, the first 400 fans through the door received a "Power of Pink" t-shirt. Throughout the contest, lucky fans were also given hats, Tervis Tumblers, pink volleyballs and other items. One lucky fan won an iPad through a raffle. The volleyball team will sign autographs following Sunday's match against Florida.
Shelbi Goode led the Crimson Tide with 23 kills in three matches last week. The sophomore from Georgetown, Texas, averaged 2.56 kills per set while finishing the week second on the team with 20 total digs, to average 2.22 digs per set. For the season, Goode has appeared in 16 matches, playing in 42 total sets, with six starts. She is currently averaging 1.45 kills per set for the season.
Andrea McQuaid continues to provide a punch for the Tide in all phases of the game. Against South Carolina, the setter/outside hitter recorded a career-high 16 kills, while hitting .471. For the season, McQuaid is second in the SEC with 12 double-doubles, which include a pair of triple-doubles. McQuaid averages 1.86 kills per set (2.13 per set in SEC play), a team-high 5.54 assists per set and 2.64 digs per set.
Florida entered this week ranked No. 13 in the AVCA Coaches Poll. Following a straight set victory at Mississippi on Friday night, the Gators are riding a five-match win streak. UF's last loss was a 3-2 home defeat by Tennessee on Sept. 25. Florida leads the SEC with a .306 hitting percentage and 1.70 aces per set, is second in opponent hitting percentage (.159) and blocks per set (2.40), and third with 13.60 kills per set.
Kristy Jaeckel leads the team with 3.56 kills per set to rank ninth in the SEC, and is fourth on the team with a .315 hitting percentage. Kelly Murphy has a .325 hitting mark for the year and averages 2.35 kills per set. Tangerine Wiggs has a team-high .357 hitting percentage and averages 2.32 kills per set. Betsy Smith's 1.07 blocks per set is fourth in the SEC, and Taylor Unroe is eighth in the conference with 3.62 digs per set.
When Alabama and Florida meet on Sunday it will mark the 40th meeting all-time in the series. Florida has won the last 34 matches, dating back to the 1989 season, and leads the series 34-5. During the 34-match win streak, UA has won a total of four sets. Last season in Tuscaloosa, Florida posted a 3-0 win over the Tide on Nov. 14. Alabama is 2-16 all-time against Florida at home.
