Alabama
9-10,1-6SEC
Florida
13-6,7-2SEC
Alabama Volleyball Battles No. 23 Florida in Three Tight Sets, Falling 3-0
10/20/2021 8:49:00 PM | Volleyball
The Crimson Tide heads to Columbia, S.C., this weekend for two matches against the Gamecocks
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama volleyball battled 23rd-ranked Florida in three close sets, falling to the Gators 3-0 Wednesday night in Foster Auditorium.
Alabama (9-10, 1-6 SEC) challenged Florida (13-6, 7-2 SEC) in each subsequent set, scoring 17 in the first, 19 in the second and 22 in the third. Kennedy Muckelroy led the Crimson Tide offense with 14 kills, marking her ninth match this season in double-figures and fourth in conference play. Brooke Slusser paced the offense with 24 assists, marking the sixth time in the last seven matches she has finished with 20-plus assists.
Alabama fell behind 5-0 in the first set, forcing an early timeout, before eventually rallying to tie the score at 8-8. Later trailing 13-10, Florida scored three unanswered to make it a six-point game and the Tide took its second timeout. Alabama would fight back in the late stages to draw within six again at 23-17 before the Gators scored back-to-back to win the set.
A kill from Abby Marjama gave the Tide its first lead of the match at 2-1 in the second and they would remain in front 7-3 before Florida called a timeout. Alabama led by as much as four at 10-6 until the Gators responded with a 9-1 run to pull ahead 15-11 at the Tide's first timeout of the frame. Florida led the rest of the way, eventually winning 25-19 to take a 2-0 match lead.
The teams traded back and forth to tie it at 4-4 in the third until a 4-0 Gator run put the visitors up 8-4, forcing an Alabama timeout. The Tide chipped away at the deficit throughout the middle of the set, eventually getting three-straight kills to tie it at 19-19. Alabama kept it a one-point game down the stretch, down 23-22 before back-to-back Gator points ended the set, 25-22, and the match, 3-0.
Stat Leaders
- Kills: Kennedy Muckelroy - 14
- Assists: Brooke Slusser - 24
- Digs: Katie Shook – 9
- Blocks: Chaise Campbell - 4
- Aces: Sami Jacobs/Abby Marjama - 1
Set-by-Set
- Set 1: Florida 25, Alabama 17
- Set 2: Florida 25, Alabama 19
- Set 3: Florida 25, Alabama 22
Match Notes
- Kennedy Muckelroy led the team with 14 kills, marking her ninth match with double-digit kills, her fourth in SEC play
- Brooke Slusser's team-leading 24 assists give her 20-plus assists in six of her last seven matches
Up Next: Alabama at South Carolina (Columbia, S.C.)
- Saturday, Oct. 23 – 2 p.m. CT
- Sunday, Oct. 24 – 11 a.m. CT – SEC Network
