Kelly Murphy and Team USA head into the Olympic quarterfinals Tuesday undefeated after a 3-1 win against China Sunday to wrap up preliminary play.
Complete Coverage for Gators at Olympics on Aug. 14
Sunday, August 14, 2016 | Olympics
Volleyballers Kelly Murphy and Aury Cruz headlined Gators Olympics action Sunday.
RIO DE JANEIRO – Sunday's action for Gator letterwinners was centered on the volleyball court where greats Kelly Murphy and Aury Cruz assumed starting roles for the United States and Puerto Rico, respectively.
GATOR PHOTO GALLERY courtesy of USA Today Sports –
Volleyball
Aury Cruz (Puerto Rico) vs. Italy in Pool Play
While Puerto Rico's run at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio came to an end Sunday against Italy, it was an historic benchmark in the country's progression of the sport of volleyball, guided by the Gators' own veteran Aury Cruz. The 34-year-old is expected to retire from the Puerto Rico National Team following the Olympics, but was a key cog in Puerto Rico's first Olympic Games berth. What a way to go out.
Sunday, Cruz contributed four points: three kills and one block in Puerto Rico's final Olympic match against the Italians -- who won their first match in Rio. The week started with a match up against Team USA and fellow Gator Great Kelly Murphy Aug. 6, while Puerto Rico also squared off with Serbia, China, the Netherlands and Italy in Group B pool play.
GATOR PHOTO GALLERY courtesy of USA Today Sports –
Volleyball
Aury Cruz (Puerto Rico) vs. Italy in Pool Play
While Puerto Rico's run at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio came to an end Sunday against Italy, it was an historic benchmark in the country's progression of the sport of volleyball, guided by the Gators' own veteran Aury Cruz. The 34-year-old is expected to retire from the Puerto Rico National Team following the Olympics, but was a key cog in Puerto Rico's first Olympic Games berth. What a way to go out.
Sunday, Cruz contributed four points: three kills and one block in Puerto Rico's final Olympic match against the Italians -- who won their first match in Rio. The week started with a match up against Team USA and fellow Gator Great Kelly Murphy Aug. 6, while Puerto Rico also squared off with Serbia, China, the Netherlands and Italy in Group B pool play.
Kelly Murphy (USA) vs. China in Pool Play
With the win over China on the final day of preliminary play Sunday, Gator Great Kelly Murphy and the Americans clinched the top spot in Pool B and will take on Japan (the fourth seed in Pool A) in the quarterfinals Tuesday at 1 p.m. Team USA defeated China 3-1 (22-25, 25-27, 25-19, 25-19) to move through pool play in Rio undefeated with wins against Puerto Rico, Netherlands, Serbia, Italy and then the Chinese to cap it all off Sunday.
China controlled set one and took advantage of a number of USA service errors to take a 1-0 lead, 25-22. USA went on to win the next three for the 3-1 victory. Murphy put up 13 points towards Team USA's efforts: 11 kills and two service aces.
For Team USA, the Gold Medal dream lives on. Quarterfinals start Tuesday at the Maracanãzinho.
Gators Competing on Mon., Aug. 15
Five different Gator stars compete in track & field on Monday, beginning with triple jump action featuring defending Olympic champion Christian Taylor (USA) and 2016 U.S. Trials champ Will Claye.
Genevieve LaCaze (Australia) runs in the FINAL of the 3,000 steeplechase, while 2016 U.S. Trails champion Kerron Clement caps the morning with a preliminary heat in the 400 hurdles.
Eddie Lovett (USA) is the only Gator under the lights on Monday, racing in the preliminaries of the 110 hurdles at 7:40 p.m.
COMPLETE Schedule of events of Gators at the 2016 Olympic Games.
| Gators at The Games Daily Schedule of Action for August 14, 2016 |
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| Gator | Sport | Country | Event | Result |
| Aury Cruz | Volleyball | Puerto Rico | Pool play vs. Italy | L, 3-0 (14-25, 13-25, 22-25) Starter: 3 kills, 1 block, 4 points |
| Kelly Murphy | Volleyball | USA | Pool play vs. China | W, 3-1 (22-25, 25-17, 25-19, 25-19) Starter: 11 kills, 2 service aces, 13 points |
| Gator 2016 Olympic Games Medal Count: (6 Medals: 4 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze) |
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| Gator | Sport | Country | Event/Time/Score | Medal |
| Caeleb Dressel | Swimming | USA | 4x100 FR, 3:09.92 | GOLD |
| Conor Dwyer | Swimming | USA | 200m Free, 1:45.23 | BRONZE |
| Conor Dwyer | Swimming | USA | 4x200 FR | GOLD |
| Ryan Lochte | Swimming | USA | 4x200 FR | GOLD |
| Dan Wallace | Swimming | Great Britain | 4x200 FR | SILVER |
| Caeleb Dressel | Swimming | USA | 4x100 MR (P), 3:31.83 | GOLD |
| All-Time Gator Olympic Games Medal Count (since 1968): Total: 119 medals (56 Gold, 31 Silver, 32 Bronze) Summer Games: 118 medals (55 Gold, 31 Silver, 32 Bronze) Winter Games: 1 medal (1 Gold) |
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FOLLOW THE OLYMPIC GATORS AT THE GAMES
Gators Competing at the 2016 Olympic Games
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UF's Signature Olympic Website
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