GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Miami Hurricanes volleyball team kicked off a three-game road trip, Wednesday, playing the Florida Gators on the road in the ACC/SEC Showdown at the Net.

The Gators and Hurricanes played in three close sets, including the final set that saw Miami take a six-point lead, but the No. 10 Florida Gators battled back to earn the three-set win over the Hurricanes (0-5).

Asia Harvey continued to pace the Miami offense, leading the way with 11 kills. Ruth Martinez tallied eight kills while Ella Thompson added six. Setter Ariana Rodriguez tallied 25 assists in her third game of the season, also adding three kills.

Defensively, Gaby Arroyo recorded 19 digs followed by Harvey and Thompson with seven each. At the net, Denitsa Angelova and Adrianna Bridges each tallied three blocks to lead the Hurricanes.

Set 1: Florida 25, Miami 15
In the first set, Miami took an early 2-1 lead over Florida, capitalizing on back-to-back kills by Harvey. The Gators then went on an eight-point run to take a 9-2 lead before a service error gave the ball back to Miami. The two teams traded points before the Hurricanes went on a 5-0 run to pull withing three points, but the Gators got into a rhythm, outscoring Miami 10-4 after the media timeout to take the first set.

Set 2: Florida 25, Miami 19
The Gators started quickly in set two, taking an early lead over the Hurricanes, but Miami found ways to keep the match close, capitalizing on Florida errors and the block. Florida then posted a 9-5 run to take a five-point lead into the 15-point timeout. The Gators extended their lead to seven out of the timeout, before the Hurricanes scored five straight points, capped by a Ruth Martinez ace, to make it a three-point game. Despite the run, Florida held on to take set two and extend their match lead.

Set 3: Florida 25, Miami 22
Florida and Miami played an entertaining third set, as the Hurricanes looked to stay alive. Miami took an early 2-1 lead, their first since the first set, before the Gators stormed back to take a four-point lead. Despite the deficit, Miami posted an 11-4 run to take a three-point lead over the Gators into the 15-point timeout. The Hurricanes would soon extend their lead to five, making it a 19-14 game and forcing Florida to take a timeout. Miami scored the first point out of the break, but the Gators settled, outscoring Miami 11-3 down the stretch to take the third set and defeat the Hurricanes.

Up Next: Miami volleyball continues its three-game road trip this weekend, traveling to Minnesota for the Diet Coke Classic. Competition will begin at No. 13 Minnesota on Friday, September 11 at 7 p.m. EDT.