On Saturday, the no. 9 Florida volleyball team swept UNC to become the Active Ankle SEC/ACC Challenge Champions. The Gators continued their dominance early in the 2011 season beating Tar Heels 3-0 (25-17, 25-20, 25-14). Florida finished the challenge 2-0 in matches and 6-0 in sets.
Florida's dominant performance throughout the challenge was reflected by the All-Tournament team. Four Gators made the seven-woman squad. Senior hitter Stephanie Ferrell led the way and was named tournament MVP. Ferrell had 13 kills against UNC to bring her two-match total to 20. Joining her were senior hitter Kristy Jaeckel, senior setter Kelly Murphy, and freshman libero Taylor Unroe.
The Gators look ready to handle the rigors of a tough season ahead. This team is full of talent and can turn close sets into blowouts in a matter of moments. Whenever sets seem to get tight, Florida turns up their play and goes on a run to take control. Follow the Gators closely in 2011, they won't disappoint.
Although the SEC/ACC Challenge is over, Florida continues its schedule against another ACC opponent. Instate rival FSU comes to Gainesville on Tuesday. The match will be streamed online on GatorVision at 7:00.