Florida Gators
Arkansas
No. 8 Florida Volleyball Tops Arkansas in Straight Sets
Sunday, October 19, 2014 | Volleyball
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Florida freshman middle blocker Rhamat Alhassan registered a career-best .846 hitting efficiency and junior outside hitter Gabby Mallette put down a season-tying 12 kills as the No. 8 Gator volleyball squad blanked Arkansas 3-0 (25-16, 25-20, 25-22) Sunday in front of 2,022 Florida faithful, solidifying the top spot in the SEC standings as the only team undefeated in conference play.
Sunday's victory against the Razorbacks (11-9, 5-2 SEC) marked a conference-best nine straight wins for Florida (14-3, 8-0 SEC) and the Gators' sixth sweep in league play this season. The Orange and Blue posted nine blocks, compared to Arkansas' two, dug up 36 balls to the Razorbacks' 28 and landed six service aces, while Arkansas had just two.
Alhassan and Mallette combined for 23 of Florida's 44 kills and 27 of the Gators' 59 points, while sophomore right side Alex Holston added nine slams and three blocks in the sweep. Junior middle blocker Simone Antwi and Alhassan each posted four blocks to help aid the Gator defense.
GETTING WISE
“We played a team in Arkansas that was really on a roll and playing their best volleyball now that they're healthy. We had enough really good performances, especially by Gabby (Mallette) and Rhamat (Alhassan), to counter a very talented Arkansas team that we'll see later in the season.”
BY THE NUMBERS
· 36: wins all-time for the Gators against Arkansas, all under head coach Mary Wise. Florida improved to 36-2 all-time against Arkansas, an undefeated 16-0 at home and 21-1 in three-set matches against the Razorbacks
· 12: kills for junior outside hitter Gabby Mallette, which ties a season-best output. Mallette posted one solo stuff to turn in a season-best 13.0 points for the Orange and Blue
· 11: kills for freshman middle blocker Rhamat Alhassan, who hit a career-best .846 against Arkansas (11-0-13). Alhassan and fellow middle junior Simone Antwi both posted a team-leading four stuffs. Alhassan additionally served up an ace, giving her five on the season and three in the last two matches. Alhassan has hit .800 or above in three matches this season and had zero attack errors for the fourth time in 2014 against Arkansas
· 9: straight wins for the Gators, extending UF's longest win streak of the season, now the longest of any team in league play
· 8: straight SEC wins to start conference play. Florida is now the only undefeated team in SEC play, as Kentucky fell at home to LSU in five Sunday afternoon
· 6: service aces for the Gators as a team, tying their second most in SEC play. Florida has six or more service aces in all but six matches this season
· 6: SEC sweeps following the win against the Razorbacks Sunday (Auburn, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Georgia, Texas A&M and Arkansas)
· 2: service aces each for senior Taylor Unroe and junior setter Mackenzie Dagostino. Unroe's two aces tie a season-best, as she now has five service aces in UF's last three matches. Dagostino has at least one service ace in 14 of Florida's 17 matches this season
UP NEXT
The No. 8 Gators will be back in the O'Dome next weekend for a two-match home stand when Florida hosts Missouri Friday and Mississippi State Sunday. First serve between the Gators and Tigers is slated for 7 p.m. and will be broadcast live on the SEC Network, while Florida and MSU will tilt at 1:30 p.m. Sunday to wrap up the weekend. The Gators are 3-2 all-time against Mizzou, the defending SEC Champions as Missouri took both meetings in 2013. UF swept the Bulldogs in Starkville Oct. 5 and is now an undefeated 44-0 against MSU, 35-0 under head coach Mary Wise.
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