Special report on the Florida Gators team:
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The seventh-ranked Florida volleyball team swept the No. 25 Missouri Tigers to close out the series on Saturday afternoon.
The Gators have now won 11-straight matches and improve to 16-2 on the year, while the Tigers fall to 11-7 in the 2020-21 campaign.
Florida dominated the first set, defeating the Tigers 25-10 and then followed with a 25-19 victory in the second frame. The Gators closed out with a 25-18 win in the third to secure the match.
Holly Carlton led the offensive attack for Florida, registering 23 kills and a .733 clip on the evening. T’ara Ceasar followed with 10 kills of her own, while Thayer Hall added in nine.
Lauren Forte posted seven kills on nine swings with no errors for a .778 clip.
Marlie Monserez led the team to a .513 clip on the night, dishing out 39 assists in the three-setter. The .513 clip is Florida’s best offensive match since Nov. 24, 2019 against Georgia (.513).
The Gators held Missouri to a .094 clip in the match, recording eight total blocks at the net. Lauren Dooley – the SEC blocks leader – posted a team-high six, while Hall added five of her own in the win.
Elli McKissock controlled the backcourt defense for Florida, registering 11 digs. Monserez added nine in the three-set match, while Hall pitched in five.
Paige Hammons led the way with service aces, notching two in the match to move her to the Top-15 in program history with 117.
The Gators return home for a two-match series with the third-ranked Kentucky Wildcats beginning on March 19. Friday’s match is slated for a 1 p.m. start, while Saturday – which will serve as Senior Day – is slated for a 4 p.m. first serve.
Records
No. 7 Florida (16-2, 16-2 SEC)
No. 25 Missouri (11-7, 11-7 SEC)
How It Happened
- The first set was all Gators from the start, with the squad hopping out to an early 12-3 lead, thanks in part to a service run by Marlie Monserez. Florida continued to hold all the momentum, garnering a 23-9 lead over the Tigers. Missouri got one back, but two consecutive Gator kills secured the first set win 25-10.
- Florida hit an astounding .714 in the first set, while holding Missouri to a .036 clip. Carlton led the way with four kills, while Dooley added three. As a team, Florida recorded three blocks in the set, led by two from Dooley.
- The two teams were trading points early in the second set, but Florida created some distance, taking the 12-7 lead midway through. The Gators continued to hold at least a three-point advantage the rest of the way, grabbing the 25-19 victory.
- UF once again hit a stellar .429 in the second set, while holding Missouri to a .135 clip. Hall led the way with six kills, while Carlton added four of her own. Dooley and Hall each tallied three blocks in the frame to go up 2-0 in the match.
- With the third set tied 3-3, the Gators exploded for a 10-6 run to hold the 13-9 advantage over the Tigers. Missouri continued to keep within four until UF pulled ahead 23-18 late in the frame. A Ceasar kill and Missouri error would clinch the set and the match for Florida, who extended its win streak to 11 matches on Saturday.
- Florida hit .448 in the final frame, while holding the Tigers to a .097 clip. Ceasar posted a team-high six kills in the set, while Forte and Carlton each pitched in four.
Notables
- Florida’s .513 hitting percentage is the best for the squad since Nov. 24, 2019 against Georgia (.513)
- Paige Hammons moved into the Top-15 all-time in program history in service aces after recording two. She now sits at 117 in her career.
- The Gators improve to 10-5 against the Tigers in the all-time series
- Florida is now 5-1 in three-set matches against Missouri
- UF improves to 6-2 against the Tigers in Gainesville, Fla.
- The Gators are now 13-0 in three-set matches this season
- Florida remains undefeated in March, moving to 4-0
- UF remains undefeated in March, moving to 5-0
Thoughts from Coach Wise
- “Today was one of the best offensive performances we’ve had this season. To hit like we did against the quality of team as Missouri speaks volumes to how locked in the team was today.”
Up Next
- The Gators host their final home series against No. 3 Kentucky on March 19/20
- Friday’s match is set for 1 p.m. on the SEC Network +
- Saturday’s match is slated for 4 p.m. on the SEC Network + and will serve as Senior Day for Florida’s four seniors