Florida needs a pair of wins this weekend to set up a potential championship-determining rematch with Kentucky.
No. 4 Gators ‘Dig Pink’ Friday, Travel to Mississippi State Sunday
Thursday, October 26, 2017 | Volleyball
Florida looks to keep pace with SEC leader Kentucky ahead of Wednesday's massive rematch
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida, which remained at No. 4 in this week's national rankings, will host its annual "Dig Pink" match Friday night, followed by a trip to Mississippi State Sunday.
For Friday night's match at Exactech Arena / Stephen C. O'Connell Center, the UAA has partnered with UF Health to help spread awareness about breast cancer and those it effects.
Florida (16-1, 8-1 SEC) looks to remain a game behind Southeastern Conference leader Kentucky, ahead of Wednesday's pivotal rematch in Lexington. The Gators will first need to handle South Carolina (10-10, 3-5) and its star hitter Mikayla Shields, who ranks seventh in the SEC in points per set. Mississippi State (9-15, 0-9) also boasts an offensive threat in Jelena Vujcin, who ranks eighth in the league in points per set.
The Gators continue to be one of two teams in the nation (Nebraska being the other) with multiple wins over teams currently ranked sixth or higher in the RPI.
Rhamat Alhassan is coming off her second weekly recognition of the year, collecting SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Week honors earlier this week.
FRIDAY PROMOTIONS
BROADCAST INFORMATION | Match Notes
Friday, Oct. 27 vs. South Carolina | 7 p.m. ET
Streaming: SEC Network + (via Watch ESPN) | Radio: Audio Stream [Tom Collett] (also available via ESPN Gainesville 98.1 FM / 850 AM) | Live Stats
Sunday, Oct. 29 at Mississippi State | 1 p.m. ET
Streaming: SEC Network + (via Watch ESPN) | Radio: Audio Stream [Tom Collett] (also available via ESPN Gainesville 98.1 FM / 850 AM) | Live Stats
NOTABLE NEWS & NUMBERS (national stat rankings updated through Oct. 24)
SCOUTING THE GAMECOCKS
South Carolina (10-10, 3-5 SEC) | 2016 synopsis: 18-12 overall, 6-12 SEC
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
Mississippi State (9-15, 0-9 SEC) | 2016 synopsis: 14-18 overall, 6-12 SEC
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For Friday night's match at Exactech Arena / Stephen C. O'Connell Center, the UAA has partnered with UF Health to help spread awareness about breast cancer and those it effects.
Florida (16-1, 8-1 SEC) looks to remain a game behind Southeastern Conference leader Kentucky, ahead of Wednesday's pivotal rematch in Lexington. The Gators will first need to handle South Carolina (10-10, 3-5) and its star hitter Mikayla Shields, who ranks seventh in the SEC in points per set. Mississippi State (9-15, 0-9) also boasts an offensive threat in Jelena Vujcin, who ranks eighth in the league in points per set.
The Gators continue to be one of two teams in the nation (Nebraska being the other) with multiple wins over teams currently ranked sixth or higher in the RPI.
Rhamat Alhassan is coming off her second weekly recognition of the year, collecting SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Week honors earlier this week.
FRIDAY PROMOTIONS
- Pre-match 3D court projection video
- Any fan with a valid Florida-Georgia football ticket will be granted FREE admission
- Kids Korner (Gate 4 lobby)
- Post-match autographs
BROADCAST INFORMATION | Match Notes
Friday, Oct. 27 vs. South Carolina | 7 p.m. ET
Streaming: SEC Network + (via Watch ESPN) | Radio: Audio Stream [Tom Collett] (also available via ESPN Gainesville 98.1 FM / 850 AM) | Live Stats
Sunday, Oct. 29 at Mississippi State | 1 p.m. ET
Streaming: SEC Network + (via Watch ESPN) | Radio: Audio Stream [Tom Collett] (also available via ESPN Gainesville 98.1 FM / 850 AM) | Live Stats
NOTABLE NEWS & NUMBERS (national stat rankings updated through Oct. 24)
- Florida and Texas are the only teams in the nation ranked in the top 15 nationally in hitting percentage and opponent hitting percentage
- Florida is one of four teams (Kentucky, Western Kentucky, Wisconsin) with two players ranked inside the top 30 nationally in hitting percentage
- The Gators rank third nationally in opponent hitting percentage (.134) and have held 15 of their 17 opponents under a .185 hitting percentage
- The Gators rank sixth nationally in blocks per set (3.09), and they have 10-plus blocks in 14 of their 17 matches
- Rhamat Alhassan ranks third nationally in blocks per set (1.72) and tied for 26th in hitting percentage (.397)
- Rachael Kramer ranks sixth nationally and leads the SEC in hitting percentage (.442)
- Kramer is coming off her ninth match of the year with at least 10 kills; she only had five such matches as a freshman
- Carli Snyder ranks tied for eighth in the nation and leads the SEC in service aces per set (0.52)
- Cheyenne Huskey ranks fifth in the SEC and tied for 77th nationally in blocks per set (1.18)
- Huskey is the only setter ranked higher than 154th nationally
SCOUTING THE GAMECOCKS
South Carolina (10-10, 3-5 SEC) | 2016 synopsis: 18-12 overall, 6-12 SEC
- Series History: Florida leads, 54-7 (49-2 under Mary Wise)
- 3-set: 41-2 | 4-set: 10-4 | 5-set: 3-1
- Home: 27-1 | Away: 25-5 | Neutral: 2-1
- Last Time Out: Nov. 11, 2016 in Gainesville à W, 3-0 (25-13, 25-20, 25-15)
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
Mississippi State (9-15, 0-9 SEC) | 2016 synopsis: 14-18 overall, 6-12 SEC
- Series History: Florida leads, 48-0 (39-0 under Mary Wise)
- 3-set: 44-0 | 4-set: 4-0 | 5-set: 0-0
- Home: 23-0 | Away: 23-0 | Neutral: 2-0
- Last Time Out: Nov. 6, 2016 in Starkville à W, 3-0 (25-23, 25-18, 25-14)
FOLLOW FLORIDA VOLLEYBALL
FloridaGators.com
Coach Mary Wise on Twitter | Coach Mary Wise on Instagram
Players Mentioned
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