Allgemeine Plauderecke » Nuggets sorely missed their second-leading scorer

BROOKLYN, N.Y. -- Sundays Blackbird Invitational finale against LIU Brooklyn was yet another opportunity for the Gators strength - their depth - to shine. Florida started three freshmen and played 13 athletes in a 3-0 (25-14, 25-14, 25-18) sweep of LIU Brooklyn to cap off the No. 8 Gators final road tournament to open the season.After a stellar opening match, junior Rhamat Alhassan was named to the Blackbird Invitational All-Tournament Team, as was Gator redshirt sophomore setter Allie Monserez.Florida improved to 6-1 on the season Sunday with its sixth straight victory and fifth consecutive sweep, highlighted by veterans Alex Holston and Carli Snyder, while freshmen middles Darrielle King and Rachael Kramer had career days, King with nine kills, three blocks and a .667 clip, and Kramer with an error-free .714 hitting percentage, five kills and a pair of blocks. Snyder posted her third double-double this season with 10 kills and 11 digs, while Holston had a team-high 12.5 points for the Orange and Blue.Holston dropped over a season best three aces, freshman Chanelle Hargreaves served up two, and Lindsey Rogers and Allie Gregory each dropped service aces giving Florida seven on the day.Freshman Cheyenne Huskey set the last two points of the second set and the whole final frame for the Orange and Blue, and once again Florida capitalized with several serving runs, two five-point strands thanks to Holston in the second and third sets, and a six-point run by junior libero Caroline Knop in the first. Knop finished the day with a team-high 12 scoops in the back row, her third most this season.WORDS FROM WISEThis was a great match to get players experience. We see the growth of our freshmen middles and it was a match where they were given the opportunity and took full advantage of it.THE RECORDSNo. 8 Florida: 6-1LIU Brooklyn: 1-8TRENDS* Floridas seven service aces Sunday against the Blackbirds give the Gators five matches this season with at least five service aces* The Gators limited the Blackbirds to a .111 clip Sunday. UF has held five opponents to a .200 clip or lower* The Orange and Blue had just nine attack errors against LIU Brooklyn, marking five straight low-error matches and tying for second-lowest this seasonUP NEXTThe Orange and Blue will wrap up an eight-match road strand at No. 13 FSU Wednesday in mid-week action. First serve for the Fresh from Florida Sunshine Showdown between the two volleyball foes is slated for 6 p.m. and will stream on ACC Network Extra. As always, Gator play-by-play Tom Collett will have all the action on the airwaves on ESPN Gainesville.Anibal Sanchez Jersey . -- Ken Appleby made 32 saves for his first shutout of the season to lead the Oshawa Generals to a 2-0 win over the Belleville Bulls on Wednesday in Ontario Hockey League action. Javy Guerra Jersey . Wilson hit Schenn from behind during Tuesday nights game in Philadelphia, earning a five-minute major for charging and a game misconduct. He has a phone hearing with the department of player safety, which limits any potential suspension to five or fewer games. https://www.cheapnationals.com/ . The Australian is competing in his final season in Formula One and still looking for his first win this year. He will look to end Vettels run of six straight race wins on Sunday. Webber, who is fifth in the championship, earned his second pole from the past three races and 13th of his career. Koda Glover Jersey . Capitals head coach Adam Oates said Ovechkin was injured in the first period against the Vancouver Canucks on Monday and clarified it was not a head injury. Adam Eaton Nationals Jersey . Ibaka equaled a career high with 20 rebounds, adding four blocked shots and 15 points as the Thunder smothered the Milwaukee Bucks offence in a 92-79 victory Saturday night. DENVER -- Danilo Gallinaris knee surgery wasnt as complex as anticipated, so he could return to the Denver Nuggets sooner than expected. Gallinari tore his left ACL in a game against Dallas on April 4 and was expected to miss at least half of next season. He underwent surgery this week at the Steadman Hawkins Clinic in Vail, where he was operated on by noted surgeon Dr. Richard Steadman. Team spokesman Tim Gelt forwarded a statement from the clinic to The Associated Press on Friday night that read: "Danilo Gallinari had an arthroscopic procedure to promote healing of his ACL tear, which was found to be partially torn at the time of surgery. Dr. Steadman has performed over 2,000 of these procedures. We are hopeful that Danilo will return to basketball sooner than if he had a complete ACL reconstruction." Gallinari also posted a video Friday on his official Facebook page in which he delivered the good news, saying in Italian that his recovery time will be "completely different" that previously expected. Neither Gallinari nor his surgeon, however, revealed a new timetable for his return to the hardwood. The Nuggets were planning on being without their 24-year-old forward at least until February. That timetable, in fact, played a role in coach George Karls firing, according to team President Josh Kroenke, who cited Gallinaris injury last week in explaining his reasoning for pink-slipping the NBAs Coach of Year. Karl had one year left on his contract and wanted an extension that Kroenke wasnt prepared to give him. So, with Gallinari expected to miss the first half of the season, at the very least, Kroenke reasooned there was a strong possibility the Nuggets could get off to a slow start in 2013-14, which would have put Karl in an untenable position as a lame duck coach.dddddddddddd So, Kroenke said he fired Karl rather than allow for that possibility. Karl has said in recent days he didnt comprehend the reason for his firing. Karls dismissal came less than a week after Masai Ujiri, the leagues Executive of the Year, left the Nuggets to take over as GM of the Toronto Raptors. The Nuggets best defender, Andre Iguodala, is expected to opt out of his $16 million contract for next season and test free agency this summer, which could further redefine a Nuggets team that won a franchise-most 57 games during the regular season only to flop in the first round again. Former Memphis Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins is expected to interview for the Nuggets vacant head coaching job this weekend. Kroenke has said hes in no hurry to hire a coach or GM. Acquired from the New York Knicks in the blockbuster trade of Carmelo Anthony in 2011, Gallinari was in the midst of a breakout season when he got hurt. He averaged 16.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 71 games. The Nuggets sorely missed their second-leading scorer and their best free throw shooter in their first-round playoff loss to Golden State. Gallinari got hurt when he planted his left leg awkwardly while going for a layup against the Mavericks at the Pepsi Center on April 4. The following day, the Nuggets said an MRI revealed a torn anterior cruciate ligament. But surgery was delayed to allow the swelling to subside, then again as he underwent a less invasive procedure. ' ' '