Gators Open 2009 Season Friday vs. UNLV
Thursday, August 27, 2009 | Volleyball
Florida opens its 26th season of intercollegiate volleyball on Friday when it plays host to the Campus USA Credit Union Invitational in the Stephen C. O'Connell Center. The No. 8/9 Gators begin the 2009 campaign against UNLV at 7 p.m. EST Friday.
Friday's game will be carried live on GatorVision Online and Rock 104 with Tom Collett and Missy Whittemore.
Fans can gain free admission to Friday's match with a coupon that has been distributed in Campus USA Credit Union's e-newsletter and can be found online at www.campuscu.com. The first 2,500 fans will receive a free UF volleyball/soccer schedule cling courtesy of Sun Sports.
“It's a great opportunity to now finally play somebody else,” Florida head coach Mary Wise said. “I think that the team is at a point where they would have liked to have played someone else much earlier than this weekend. The countdown to the season is over. Game-time is tomorrow night and we are playing a good UNLV team that we saw a year ago.”
The Gators, who have won an NCAA Division-I record 18 consecutive Southeastern Conference titles, were again picked to win the 2009 conference crown, as selected in a vote of the league's 11 head coaches. Florida finished 2009 with a 27-4 record and its 17th NCAA Regional Semifinal appearance in the past 18 years.
UF is facing UNLV for the second consecutive year, a return match from the two team's 2008 regular-season finale in Las Vegas, Nev., in which the Gators won 3-0. Florida holds a 2-0 lead in the all-time series with the Rebels and a 13-6 mark all-time vs. members in the current alignment of the Mountain West Conference.
UNLV finished its 2008 season with a 16-14 record, including a 9-7 mark in Mountain West Conference play, which tied for fourth in the league. The Rebels return four starters from a year ago, including middle blocker Erin Greenwood, who led the team in blocks (77) and ranked second in kills (280) and kills per set (2.64). She ranks fourth all-time in school history in hitting percentage (.275) and total blocks (227).
Defense has always been a staple of Coach Allison Keeley's program at UNLV, as the Rebels have led the Mountain West Conference in digs per set in each of the past five years. Last season, they averaged a league-leading 15.93 average, but senior Camille Cunningham, who in 2008 ranked 25th in the nation in digs, has completed her eligibility.
“What we remember of UNLV is that they were one of the better defensive teams we played all year,” Wise said. “They were relentless with our back-row play. For us to be successful, we have to be patient offensively. They're going to make some big-time digs and those are going to look routine for them. I think it's the perfect match for us to help teach offensive patients and to be deliberate. It's going to be a great match for the fans to watch.”
Florida has won five consecutive season openers and has not lost a home season-opening match since falling to Colorado State in the 2000 NACWAA Classic in Gainesville. The Gators are 17-8 all-time in season openers, including a 14-4 mark under Wise's direction.
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QUICK NOTES
- Florida is 17-8 all-time in season openers, including five consecutive season-opening victories.
- The Gators won the 2008 edition of the Campus USA Credit Union Invitational by sweeping Jacksonville and posting a five-set victory against Long Beach State. Kristy Jaeckel was named the MVP of the 2008 Campus USA Credit Union Invitational.
- Florida's 578 victories since 1991 are the most of any team in the nation during that time period.
- The Gators were picked in a vote by the SEC's 11 head coaches to win their 19th consecutive league championship during the 2009 campaign.
- Florida opens the 2009 season ranked No. 8 in the AVCA (coaches) poll and No. 9 in the Volleyball Magazine (media) poll. UF finished the 2008 season ranked No. 10 in both final polls.
- Sophomore right-side/setter Kelly Murphy tied for the national lead in triple-doubles during the 2008 campaign with six triple-dips during the year. That set a new Florida school record.
- Senior libero Elyse Cusack is a two-time AVCA Honorable Mention All-America selection and holds Florida's all-time career digs record with 1,634 scoops.
- Elyse Cusack, Kristy Jaeckel and Kelly Murphy each were named to the 2009 Preseason All-SEC Team.
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