Gators Sweep Alabama State, Set Up Clash with Florida State

Friday, December 2

Gainesville, FL

7 PM

Florida Gators

27-3, 16-2SEC

Alabama State

24-9, 18-0SWAC

Alabama State

Florida

The Gators will face Florida State in the NCAA Tournament Second Round for the fourth time since 2010.

Gators Sweep Alabama State, Set Up Clash with Florida State

Friday, December 2, 2016 | Volleyball

Box Score

Florida has swept its way out of the first round of the last five NCAA Tournaments

By: Zach Dirlam

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The 11th-seeded Gators (27-3, 16-2 SEC) swept Alabama State Friday (Dec. 2) night in the Lemerand Athletic Center, setting up an NCAA Tournament Second Round clash with archrival Florida State.

Saturday (Dec. 3) night's showdown, scheduled for 7:30 p.m., will be the fourth time in since 2010 the Gators and Seminoles meet each other in the NCAA Tournament Second Round. Florida is 2-1 in the three matches already played during that span, coming away with a four-set win in 2015 and a five-set victory in 2010.

Florida was led by three-time All-American right side Alex Holston and All-SEC outside hitter Carli Snyder in its convincing win over the Hornets (24-9, 18-0 SWAC).

Snyder logged match highs in kills (14), points (18), and digs (11), recording her team-best 10th double-double of the season. Holston logged 13 kills on 20 total attacks. Both were only charged with two errors and hit better than .540 for the match, effectively spearheading UF's .464 clip, the fourth-highest hitting percentage its ever recorded in NCAA Tournament play.

Defensively, UF's size and length provided the difference, limiting Alabama State to a mere 14 kills and an .016 hitting percentage.

#Gators get the sweep!@carli_snyder with 14 ??, @aleh3 with 13 ??. And they both bit over .540 ?? #GoGators pic.twitter.com/3oUgtly2pq
— Gators Volleyball (@GatorsVB) December 3, 2016

BROADCAST INFORMATION
Saturday, Dec. 3, vs. Florida State | 7:30 p.m. ET
Live Stream: SEC Network + (Tom Collett & Missy Whittemore) | GatorVision Audio Stream (Daniel Gillman & Josh Crow) | Live Stats

NOTABLES AND TRENDS

Florida improves its all-time record against Alabama State to 2-0, with both of its victories being sweeps in the NCAA Tournament First Round.
Alabama State's 14 kills were the fewest UF yielded in a match since Aug. 30, 2013, when it held New Orleans to 12 kills.
The Gators have held 12 opponents under a .100 clip this season, tying the 2005 and 2006 Gators for the most times that's been done since UF's 2003 squad held 20 opponents under that mark.
UF has hit .400 or higher in nine matches this year, matching its total from 2015, which was the most times a Gator team hit that mark in a single campaign since at least 1998.
Florida has hit over .450 in three matches this season, marking the first time it has done that since 2013.
Florida's nine service aces tied its season high, which it previously set against Central Michigan (Sep. 3) and South Carolina (Nov. 11).
Carli Snyder had seven double-doubles in her first two years as a Gator—she has 10 this season.
Snyder also racked up career-high four service aces, topping her previous career high of three, which she set against Auburn (Nov. 23) last week.
Snyder's four service aces also tied the second-highest total by a Gator in an NCAA Tournament match.
Freshman outside hitter Morgyn Greer logged a career-high three blocks.

FLORIDA NCAA TOURNAMENT NOTABLES

The Gators' all-time NCAA Tournament record improves to 66-26 (.717).
Florida head coach Mary Wise boasts a 65-25 (.722) all-time record in the NCAA Tournament, with all of her 26 postseason appearances coming with the Gators.
Florida is 51-7 (.879) when hosting NCAA Tournament matches in Gainesville.
This is the fifth consecutive NCAA Tournament in which Florida swept its way out of the opening round.
The Gators have made 23 Regional Semifinals and 15 Regional Championships in program history.
Florida is seeking its eighth all-time NCAA Semifinals appearance and its first since 2003, when it played in the NCAA Championship match.

SCOUTING THE SEMINOLES
Florida State | 25-5 overall, 17-3 ACC

Florida leads: 39-19 (32-5 under Mary Wise)
3-set: 21-7 | 4-set: 12-5 | 5-set: 6-7

Home: 23-5 | Away: 13-9 | Neutral: 3-5
NCAA Tournament series: Florida leads, 3-1
Last Time Out: Sep. 14, 2016 at Tallahassee --> W, 3-1 (27-25, 19-25, 25-22, 25-19)

Notable: 19th all-time NCAA Tournament appearance; making eighth straight appearance (school record)

MEDIA INFORMATION
Media Contact: Zach Dirlam (ZachD@gators.ufl.edu) | Media Services/Credentialing Information (PDF)

Alabama State-Florida Quotes (PDF)
Cincinnati-Florida State Box Score & Quotes (PDF)
Florida State Notes (PDF)

CREDENTIALING NOTE: If you were credentialed for the University of Florida regular season, you were automatically credentialed for the NCAA Tournament First & Second Rounds in Gainesville. Your credential will be available at Will Call (inside Gale Lemerand Athletic Center) one hour prior to first serve of Saturday's match.

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