Gator Volleyball's Orange & Blue Scrimmage Highlights Verizon Fan Day
Sunday, August 21, 2011 | Volleyball
Senior outside hitter Stephanie Ferrell (Los Angeles, Calif.) had a match-high 16 kills and senior middle blocker Cassandra Anderson (Bakersfield, Calif.) added 10 blocks to highlight the joint Verizon Fan Day on Saturday afternoon, featuring the Gator volleyball and football teams.
The Gators split into an Orange squad and a Blue squad, but due to the nature of the match as a scrimmage, several players switched sides throughout the afternoon to prepare different combinations and match-ups. Florida played four sets to 25 points each.
With all numbers and statistics being unofficial, the Orange team defeated the Blue team, 3-1 (25-13, 25-7, 25-23, 25-22).
“There is nothing we can do in training to simulate a match-like atmosphere,” Florida head coach Mary Wise said. “That's the great thing about the Orange and Blue Scrimmage – in terms of giving our players a feel of the gameday routine and playing in the O'Dome in front of our fans, that's something we can't replicate. They're definitely ready to see someone other than their teammates across the net. For our fans, it is a great opportunity to give them a peek of what they're going to see from the 2011 Gators.”
Ferrell went errorless in her three sets as a member of the Orange team, notching 12 kills on .667 hitting with five digs and two service aces. Senior right-side/setter Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Ill.) charted a double-double with 11 kills on .429 hitting and 20 assists. Murphy also added five service aces and six digs. Sophomore Chanel Brown (Tempe, Ariz.) registered a match-high 23 assists while running a 6-2 offense with Murphy.
Anderson's 10 blocks were part of a Gator blocking effort that combined for 20.0 total blocks between the Orange and Blue teams, as junior right-side Tangerine Wiggs (Seattle, Wash.) had seven blocks for the Orange team.
Junior Betsy Smith (Atlanta, Ga.) registered eight kills on .500 hitting with three blocks while playing with both the Orange and Blue teams. The backrow defense on both sides were led by newcomers as the Blue team's Madison Monserez (Orlando, Fla.) and the Orange team's Taylor Unroe (Muncie, Ind.) contributed 11 digs apiece.
Following the team's Orange and Blue Scrimmage, Gator players and coaches signed autographs of the official 2011 team poster for fans for well over an hour at the O'Connell Center.
Florida begins the 2011 campaign Aug. 26-27, when they host the Active Ankle Challenge, which pits the Gators and the Auburn Tigers of the SEC against the Eagles of Boston College and the North Carolina Tar Heels of the ACC.
The University of Florida is home to the 2011 NCAA Volleyball Regional. To order 2011 regular season and NCAA Regional tickets, log on to http://www.GatorZone.com/tickets.
For all of the latest information on Florida volleyball, please log on to www.GatorZone.com/Volleyball or, for up-to-the-minute updates, follow Florida volleyball on Twitter at @GatorZoneVB or www.twitter.com/GatorZoneVB and Coach Mary Wise on Twitter at @GatorMary or www.twitter.com/GatorMary. You can also find the Gators on Facebook.
