Surviving the Swamp in an Important Rebound Match

Texas got their season back on the right track again against Florida, following up their past couple of losses with a win against a quality opponent. The match didn't start with that level of success though. As Texas has been prone to doing in the past few matches, the team started cold with Florida jumping out to an early lead in the first set 18-9. Texas battled back but still dropped the set in extra points 29-31, making five consecutive lost sets for the Horns. 

However, they didn't let that phase them and jumped out to a 4-0 lead to start the second set and never looked back. Torrey Stafford led the offensive effort with an impressive 21 kills, hitting .346. Texas maintained control for most of the remaining match to pull out the victory 29-31, 25-18, 25-19, 25-19. All that and more in the recap below:

Double Sub Devotion

For most of the season, Texas has employed the double sub approximately once per set usually in the 15-20 point range in order to get Rella Binney behind the service line and a bigger block up front with Devin Kahahawai. Lately though, Jerritt Elliott has seemingly acquired an itch he just can't scratch, using this double sub more and more often. It's almost to the point that Texas is using a modified 5-2 system with Swindle full-time in the front row and Binney full-time in the back row (though not quite to that point). Texas has found continued success in these rotations, so Coach Elliott will continue going back to it as long as that's the case.

Whitney Lauenstein Breakout Performance

Speaking of the double sub, the redshirt Senior got her first real action of the season and was an absolute spark. She played Kahahawai's role in the double sub in the third a fourth sets and played a pivotal role in the Longhorns' ability to close out the match. Lauenstein entered the game and had an errorless 6 kills on 11 swings, adding a dig and two blocks as well. She was almost subbed into the match against Kentucky, but this time around Coach Elliott gave her the opportunity and she took complete advantage. To be clear, Kahahawai had a great match of her own, hitting .375 and adding a block. The coaching staff has some personnel decisions to make going forward, but right now it's looking like there are no bad options.

Serving Struggles

If there's been one phase of the game that hasn't been as strong the past few games as it had been the rest of the season, it's serving. Kentucky was able to capitalize on a lack of toughness from behind the service line, and in the moments Florida was finding success in this match, it was typically because they were passing well and siding out at a high percentage. This will be a point of emphasis and something to tune up in the last couple of matches before the SEC tournament.