GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Oklahoma volleyball team dropped a four-set match to Florida, 22-25, 20-25, 26-24, 13-25, Wednesday night inside Exactech Arena at Stephen C. O’Connell Center.

Oklahoma fell to 12-7, 4-5 in SEC play with the loss, while Florida improved to 11-7 and 5-4 in league play.

At setter, Avaya Maga recorded her first career double-double with 40 assists and 15 digs, both career highs.

Three Sooners had double-digit kills as Kamille Gibson notched a season high 13 kills, Alexis Shelton tallied 18 and Emoni Bush added 14.

Defensively, Kelli Jo Burgess recorded five blocks, including three solo. Dionii Fraga was just shy of a double-double with 12 digs and nine assists.

OU dropped the opening frame, 25-22. Florida led 15-12 at the media timeout as the first set saw 11 ties and four lead changes before the first break. Back-to-back kills from Gibson pulled OU within one and a pair of blocks from Burgess put the Sooners back in front, 16-15. After another four ties, the Sooners took a two-point lead at 20-18 to force a Florida timeout. Out of the break, Florida used a 3-0 run to tie the match at 21. A 4-1 run by the Gators closed out the set.

Florida took a 2-0 lead in the match after taking set two. A 4-0 scoring run put the Gators in front 10-6, setting up an early Oklahoma timeout. Kills from Shelton and Bush had the Sooners with two at 11-9, before Florida once again pushed the lead to four. A challenge on Burgess attack reversed the score to put OU in striking distance at 14-12. Another crucial challenge by head coach Aaron Mansfield kept it a two-point game at 16-14. Florida pushed its lead to 20-15 and ultimately took the set 25-20.

The Sooners stayed alive in the third behind a 26-24 win. OU took a 14-10 lead in the third set off a 4-0 run and led 15-11 at the first timeout. Florida cut the lead to two at 17-15, but the Sooners pushed the lead back to four at 21-17. A huge block from Burgess and Bush forced Florida into their second timeout of the set as OU led 22-19. The Gators made it tough near the end, pulling within one at 23-22. Shelton gave OU set point, but Florida pulled even at 24-all. Shelton came through with two kills in crunch time to force a fourth set.

In the fourth set, OU took an early timeout, trailing Florida 11-6. The Sooners struggled to find a rhythm offensively, falling behind 17-8 and forced into taking their second timeout. The deficit was too large to overcome as Florida took the final set 25-13.

The Sooners return to McCasland Field House on Sunday, Oct. 26, to host Auburn at noon CT on SEC Network.

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