Florida Gators
18-5, 10-4
Auburn
14-10, 6-6
No. 11 Florida Falls in Five-Set Nailbiter at Auburn
Monday, November 9, 2015 | Volleyball
AUBURN, Ala. -- Despite double-doubles from seniors Mackenzie Dagostino, éiva Recek and 33 digs from senior libero Nikki O'Rourke -- third most in a single match in school history -- the No. 11 Gators came out on the short end of a five-set nailbiter at Auburn Arena Sunday afternoon (22-25, 25-16, 26-24, 21-25, 16-18).
In a closely-contested match that featured 43 ties and 14 lead changes, two sets between the Gators and Tigers took extra points. Florida (18-5, 10-4 SEC) came out on the winning end of a 26-24 second set to tie the match at 1-all, while Auburn closed out the fifth 18-16.
Junior right side Alex Holston put down a season-tying 19 kills to lead the Gators, while Recek had 14 kills on 31 swings with just one error and 16 digs. Dagostino dished out a season-tying 52 assists with 11 digs herself. O'Rourke's impressive 33 digs tied Gator great Elyse Cusack (2009) for the third-most digs in a match in the rally-scoring era. Sophomore Carli Snyder was UF's third pin hitter to notch double-digit kills (12).
After a battle of a first frame that went to Auburn (25-22), the Gators found their offensive rhythm to even the match at one set apiece in the second after nearly doubling their kills and hitting .407. In the initial frame, once again sophomore Abby Detering's serving helped Florida on a six-point run to give the Gators their first lead of the set at 13-11, including back-to-back aces for two of UF's three in the opening stanza. A back-and-forth battle ensued, but the Tigers closed it out to win the first 25-22.
An 11-3 Florida run in the heart of the second gave the Gators control and helped propel the Orange and Blue to a 25-16 win to knot the match at the break and UF kept the momentum going in the third. Although it took extra points in the 26-24 third-set win, the Gators were persistent and consistent to go up 2-1 heading to the fourth.
The fourth and fifth both went wire-to-wire, featuring 25 ties and 10 lead changes between the back-and-forth final two frames, which both went to an aggressive home team, 25-21 and 18-16, that kept the Gators on their toes throughout.
Sophomore Rhamat Alhassan and Recek led UF's block with six each, a career-tying number for Recek, as Florida posted 12 roofs to Auburn's six.
Florida fell to 0-4 in five-set matches this season -- all on the road -- as Auburn won its first match against the Gators in the Mary Wise era.
MARY'S MINUTE
“Auburn played a terrific match and was certainly the team deserving to win.”
BY THE NUMBERS
· 33 | Digs for senior libero Nikki O'Rourke, the third most in school history in the rally scoring era, tying Elyse Cusack (2009) and Rachel Engel (2004)
· 12 | Blocks for Florida, to Auburn's nine, paced by six each from Rhamat Alhassan and éiva Recek. Florida has double-digit blocks in 15 of 23 matches this season and
· 5 | Florida players with double-digit points Sunday afternoon against Auburn (Holston: 21, Recek: 18, Snyder: 12.5, Alhassan: 12, Antwi: 11.5)
· 2 | Players with double-doubles in senior setter Mackenzie Dagostino (52 assists, 11 digs) and Recek (14 kills, 16 digs). Dagostino leads Florida with seven double-doubles this season, Recek owns six in 2015 and 25 in her Gator career. Recek additionally posted a career-tying six blocks to aid the Gators at the net
· 2 | Service aces for freshman Abby Detering, who served up back-to-back aces in the first set to tie a career high
UP NEXT
Florida returns back to the O'Dome next weekend for its last full weekend of SEC play at home when the Gators host Alabama (Nov. 13) and Tennessee (Nov. 15). The Gators and Tide square off at 7 p.m. Friday, while first serve between the Gators and Vols is slated for 1:30 p.m. next Sunday. The Orange and Blue will host LIU-Brooklyn Nov. 27 the day after Thanksgiving at 3 p.m. in UF's regular-season finale.
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