Special report on the Florida Gators volleyball team:
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The 11th-ranked Florida volleyball team earned its fourth-consecutive win in the Sunshine Showdown, sweeping No. 23 Florida State on Tuesday night in Exactech Arena.
Florida took the first set 25-21, before battling for a tightly-contest 27-25 win in the second frame. The Gators won the match after topping the Seminoles 25-14 in the final set.
As a squad, the Gators hit .322 on the night, racking up 52 kills, while limiting FSU to a .150 hitting percentage. Florida’s offensive attack was led by Thayer Hall, who registered 15 kills in the match.
Paige Hammons and Lauren Dooley pitched in 10 and nine kills, respectively to secure the victory. Rachael Kramer also added seven kills herself on the night.
Marlie Monserez once again ran the offense for the Gators, dishing out 40 assists in the three-setter.
Allie Gregory led the way with 12 digs on the evening, while Thayer Hall pitched in 11 for her double-double.
The Gators recorded five service aces during the match: two from Holly Carlton, two from Paige Hammons and one from Chanelle Hargreaves.
Florida is back in action this weekend when the squad hosts the Gators Invitational. UF faces Liberty at 12 p.m. on Friday, then takes on Northern Arizona at 7 p.m. The Gators close out the weekend with a 3:30 p.m. matchup on Saturday against Louisiana.
Records
No. 11 Florida (6-2)
No. 23 Florida State (5-3)
How it Happened
- Florida grabbed an 11-7 advantage early in the first set behind seven Gator kills and UF continued to hold at least a three-point lead until FSU clawed back to within one point at 20-19. After a Florida timeout, the Gators went on a 5-2 run to close out the frame and take a 1-0 lead in the match.
- The Gators hit .273 in the first set, racking up 18 kills as team, while holding FSU to a .182 clip and 11 kills. Thayer Hall led the way with six kills, while Paige Hammons added five in the frame.
- UF fell into an early deficit, trailing 10-4 in the frame. Behind the serves of Thayer Hall and Allie Gregory, Florida crawled back to within one at 12-11. FSU started to create a bit more distance between the two squads, but Chanelle Hargreaves strung together a seven-point service run to give the Gators the 21-16 lead. FSU tied the frame at 24-24 and the teams continued to trade points until a Thayer Hall kill and a Holly Carlton service ace put the set away for the Gators at 27-25.
- Florida registered 19 kills in the second frame, led by six from Hall. Lauren Dooley added four, while Holly Carlton and Marlie Monserez each recorded two apiece.
- The third set was all Gators from the start, with Florida jumping out to the 14-3 lead behind the serves of Allie Gregory, Holly Carlton and Paige Hammons. FSU fought its way to within eight points at 21-9, but the Gators continued to push, closing out the frame 25-14 to secure the sweep.
- The Gators hit .400 in the third set and forced Florida State to just a .062 clip. Paige Hammons posted four kills in the frame, while Rachael Kramer and Thayer Hall both recorded three.
Notables
- Florida did not allow a Florida State service ace during the match
- Thayer Hall notched her fourth double-double of the season
- The Gators move to 43-20 in the all-time series against the Seminoles
- Florida improves to 24-7 in three-set matches against Florida State
- UF moves to 25-6 against FSU in Gainesville, Fla.
- Florida is now 514-67 all-time at home
- The Gators are now 9-4 against Florida State when both teams have been ranked in the AVCA Top-25
Thoughts from Coach Wise
- “We had some really good offensive performances tonight, anchored by our serve receive and the setter making good decisions.”
Up Next
- Florida is set to host the Gators Invitational on Friday and Saturday
- The Gators take on Liberty at 12 p.m. on Friday, before facing Northern Arizona at 7 p.m.
- UF closes out the weekend against Louisiana on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
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