Nov. 22, 2003

Top-seed Florida swept Tennessee 3-0 (30-23, 30-24, 30-23) in Saturday’s first semifinal match of the 2003 SEC Volleyball Tournament. The Gators will move on to the championship match to meet the winner of Arkansas vs. Alabama.

Jane Collymore swung down team-high 14 kills, and Aury Cruz notched a double-double with 13 kills and 12 digs. Sherri Williams tallied four total blocks and Lauren Moscovic led in assists with 50.

Tennessee threatened to snap Florida’s NCAA record 85 consecutive games won, as outside hitter Michelle Piantadosi nailed a big kill to tie up the score at 3-3 in the first game. It would be the last time Florida would have the lead until 15-14, but the Lady Vols pulled ahead again with back-to-back kills from Kristin Andre and Amy Morris. Gators Jane Collymore and Sherri Williams countered an attack, trading kill for kill and double-teaming several important block efforts that would lead Florida to the 30-24 win in game one.

Game two again featured Collymore and Williams, but it was Jacque Robinson who put down a kill for the Gator go-ahead at 10-9. Florida would not give up the lead again, as attacks from Collymore and Michelle Chatman accounted for points 28 and 29. Collymore and Williams teamed up for a huge block that won the match for the Gators, 30-23.

In game three, Florida trailed once more for the better part of the first half, with only one brief lead at 5-4. The Gators came alive at 13-12, followed by two key plays from Cruz and another Robinson kill to boost the team to 16-13. Lauren Moscovic highlighted two points toward the end of the match with a strategically-placed tip followed by a serve ace, but it was Cruz who put the finishing touches on the Lady Vols with two high-flying kills followed by a ball tipped squarely into a Tennessee hole to win the match for the Gators.