Special report on the Florida Gators volleyball team:
BATON ROUGE, La. – The No. 11 Florida Gators notched their third sweep in as many games on Wednesday, defeating LSU in Baton Rouge, La.
Florida has now started 3-0 in the SEC for the 24th year during Mary Wise’s tenure.
The Gators took the first set in a close fashion, winning 25-23. Florida went up 2-0 in the match after winning the second set 25-21 and clinched match victory with a 25-17 win in set three.
Thayer Hall led the team offensively with 11 kills, followed by 10 from Holly Carlton. Rachael Kramer and Taelor Kellum both pitched in seven of their own.
The Monserezs combined for 35 assists – 23 coming from Allie Monserez and 12 coming from Marlie Monserez.
The team as a whole recorded 10 blocks, led by five apiece from Racheal Kramer and Holly Carlton. Allie Gregory had command of the backcourt defense, registering 11 digs on the night.
The Gators are back on the road for a Sunday matchup with Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Ala. The match will be streamed on the SEC Network + and first serve is slated for2 p.m. ET.
How It Happened
– Florida was down for a majority of the first frame, but didn’t let up the fight, battling from as many as five down to win 25-23. Holly Carlton and Rachael Kramer came up with the set-tying block at 16-16and from there on, the teams traded points. UF broke away to take the 24-22 lead after back-to-back kills by Taelor Kellum and Thayer Hall. Rachael Kramer then secured set point with a kill of her own.
o The Gators hit .286 in the first set, collecting 16 kills along the way. Rachael Kramer, Holly Carlton and Thayer Hall both racked up four kills apiece.
– Set two was another tight battle between the two squads, but Florida came out victorious with the 25-21 win. The set was tied at 19-19, but the Gators went on a 5-1 run to lead 24-20, thanks in part to two kills and a block by Holly Carlton. An LSU service error secured set point and put UF up 2-0 in the match.
o Florida hit .458 in the second frame, totaling 13 kills. Holly Carlton recorded five kills throughout the set and Taelor Kellum registered three of her own.
– The Gators and Tigers went back-and-forth for every point in the third set. Florida looked to be cruising with a 17-11 lead, but LSU went on a 7-1 run to tie the frame at 18-18. With the score tied, Thayer Hall went off for three kills over the next seven points to secure the victory.
o Florida hit .275 in the set, led by five kills from Thayer Hall. Rachael Kramer and Paige Hammons both notched three kills in the set as well.
Notables
– Thayer Hall recorded 11 kills during the match, her 11th match in double-figure kills
– Holly Carlton finished with 10 kills on the night, her seventh match in double-digits
– Rachael Kramer and Taelor Kellum both posted seven kills
– Allie Monserez dished out 23 assists, followed by 12 by Marlie Monserez
– Allie Gregory recorded 11 digs during the three sets
– Holly Carlton and Rachael Kramer both recorded five blocks on the night
– The Gators move to 43-13 all-time against the Tigers
– Florida is now 25-7 in three-set matches against LSU
– UF moves to 18-6 against LSU in Baton Rouge, La.
– The Gators improve to 5-0 in three-set matches this season
– Florida moves to 2-1 in nationally televised games in the 2018 season
Thoughts from Coach Wise
– “Wins on the road are always special. In a match where LSU played so well in so many different facets – they challenged us – and it was great to get the win.”
Up Next
– The Gators are back in action against Alabama on Sunday in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
– The match is slated for a 2 p.m. ET start and will be streamed on the SEC Network +
– Florida holds the 44-0 series advantage over the Crimson Tide
No. 11 Florida at Alabama Broadcast Information
Time & Date: Sunday, Sept. 30 | 2 p.m. ET
Live Stream: SEC Network +
Live Stats: Sidearm
Radio: ESPN 98.1FM/850 AM
Series Information – No. 11 Florida at Alabama
- This is the 45th meeting between the two schools
- Florida holds the 44-0 series advantage, including a 42-0 record under Mary Wise
- 3-set: 40-0 | 4-set: 4-0 | 5-set: 0-0
- Home: 20-0 | Away: 21-0 | Neutral: 3-0
- Last Time Out: Oct. 20, 2017 | Tuscaloosa, Ala. | W, 3-0 (25-17, 25-18, 25-17)