No. 4 Gators Stymie Arkansas with 18 Blocks

Friday, November 10

Gainesville, FL

7 PM

Florida Gators

21-1, 13-1SEC

Arkansas

17-9, 7-7SEC

Arkansas

Florida

Caroline Knop led Florida's back row to a season-high 80 digs.

No. 4 Gators Stymie Arkansas with 18 Blocks

Friday, November 10, 2017 | Volleyball

Box Score

Florida had three players with eight-plus blocks for the first time since 2004

By: Zach Dirlam

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The No. 4 Gators (21-1, 13-1 SEC) won their seventh consecutive match, topping Arkansas, 3-1. Florida posted 18 blocks, tying its third-highest total in the rally scoring era, and ended the match on a 13-point service run from senior outside hitter Carli Snyder, one of two Gators who logged a double-double.

Following a 25-23 setback in the opening frame, Florida's defense held Arkansas—one of two teams to hit better than .185 against UF this year—to a .017 hitting percentage for the final three (the Razorbacks hit .170 in the first). The Gators' offense also found their flow in the second and fourth sets, hitting at a .302 and .500 clip, respectively.

Florida's back row racked up the majority of the team's 80 digs—which marked their highest total in a four-set match since Dec. 2, 2011 against Missouri, as well as tying the program's 11th-highest four-set total in the rally scoring era. Senior libero Caroline Knop led the way with a season-high 25 digs, tying the third-highest total of her career. Freshman outside hitter Paige Hammons matched her season high with 14 digs. Redshirt junior setter Allie Monserez, who logged 34 assists, had 10 digs for her fourth double-double of the season.

Up front, three-time All-American middle blocker Rhamat Alhassan stuffed nine blocks, while sophomore middle blocker Rachael Kramer and fifth-year senior right side Shainah Joseph added eight apiece.

Snyder and Kramer both amassed 16 kills, with Snyder adding three blocks and six service aces for a career-high 24 points. The Macomb, Mich., native added 13 digs for her eighth double-double of the season.

The victory moves Florida back atop the Southeastern Conference standings, as they lead Kentucky by a half-game.

"Just keep winning." Sounds about right to us.

18 blocks and ridiculous nights from @carli_snyder and @Rachael5Kramer got this one done! pic.twitter.com/fyzuRIbNxB
— Gators Volleyball (@GatorsVB) November 11, 2017

NOTABLES

This was Florida's third four-set match with at least 80 digs since the start of the 2008 season
The Gators have held their opponent below a .100 hitting percentage in nine matches this year
UF has held its opponents below a .100 hitting percentage in 15 of its last 23 sets (65.2 percent), as well as 32 of its 76 sets this season (42.1 percent)
Florida tied its season high with 10 service aces, and this is the first time since 2013 the Gators amassed 10-plus service aces in three matches
Three different Gators finished a match with eight-plus blocks for the first time since Oct. 22, 2004 at Tennessee (Sherri Williams, 10; Michelle Chatman, 9; Angie McGinnis, 8)
Carli Snyder is the first Gator since Puerto Rican Olympian Aury Cruz (2003) to have multiple matches with six service aces in a season
Snyder's 24 points tied the highest total by a Gator in any match this season (Alhassan, 24 points at Arkansas, 3-2 win)
Snyder has six career matches with three-plus service aces—all of which have come this year
Snyder posted 20-plus points for the fourth time this season and sixth time in her career
Snyder has 19 double-doubles in her last two seasons after recording seven altogether as an underclassman
Rachael Kramer posted the second 20-point match of her career (the other came in UF's five-set win over Nebraska back on Aug. 26)
Kramer's eight blocks tied her career high, which she set last year in a four-set win at Florida State
Shainah Joseph posted the 13th 10-point match of her career—nine of those outings have come this year
Florida improved its all-time record against Arkansas to 41-3

SUNDAY PROMOTIONS

3D court projection video (Friday & Sunday)
Kid's Korner (Gate 4 Lobby – Friday & Sunday)
Little Gators Hip Hop Squad (between sets 1 & 2 Sunday)
Post-match autographs (Friday & Sunday)

BROADCAST INFORMATION | Match Notes
Sunday, Nov. 12 vs. Missouri | 1 p.m. ET
TV: SEC Network [Tiffany Greene, Missy Whittemore] | Streaming: Watch ESPN | Radio: Audio Stream [Tom Collett, Josh Crow] (also available via ESPN Gainesville 98.1 FM / 850 AM) | Live Stats

SCOUTING THE TIGERS
Missouri (17-9, 10-3 SEC) | 2016 synopsis: 27-6 overall, 16-2 SEC (t-1st) | NCAA Regional Semifinalist

Series History: Florida leads, 5-4 (5-4 under Mary Wise)
3-set: 4-1 | 4-set: 1-1 | 5-set: 0-2
Home: 3-1 | Away: 1-3 | Neutral: 1-0
Last Time Out: Nov. 20, 2017 in Columbia à L, 2-3 (18-25, 25-23, 15-25, 25-21, 10-15)