Florida Gators
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Mississippi State
No. 8 Gator Volleyball Downs the Bulldogs, Extends Win Streak to 11 Matches
Sunday, October 26, 2014 | Volleyball
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- No. 8 Florida volleyball added its 11th straight victory Sunday with a 3-0 sweep (25-9, 25-14, 25-16) of Mississippi State in an afternoon clash at the O'Dome in Gainesville. Florida tacked on its 10th SEC victory, improving to 16-3 on the season and an undefeated 10-0 in league play.
Stabilized by the veteran back row and senior Taylor Unroe's 14 digs, the Orange and Blue posted their eighth SEC sweep – second against Mississippi State -- using a team-best 10 kills and 14.5 points from freshman Rhamat Alhassan, while junior middle Simone Antwi hit a career-best .875 (7-0-8) against Mississippi State (6-19, 1-9 SEC). A total of 15 Gators saw action in UF's second meeting with the Bulldogs this season, including freshman setter Abby Detering, who dished out a season-best eight assists.
Florida held Mississippi State to nine points in a 25-9 first-set decision, the lowest point total for a Gator opponent in a set this season, while the Bulldogs had just 15 kills in the match, the lowest for a UF foe in SEC play since 2012 when MSU had 14 in the Gator-Bulldog match up two years ago. MSU became UF's 13th opponent this season under a .197 hitting efficiency, and the second to record a negative team clip (-.012).
The Gators will look to keep it rolling with their third match in a span of six days Wednesday at Georgia, with first serve slated for 7 p.m. on the SEC Network in Athens, with Adam Amin and Maria Taylor on the call.
GETTING WISE
“A lot of credit in this win goes to the play of our three seniors: serving, passing and digging -- they played like the focused, senior veterans that they are.”
BY THE NUMBERS
· .875: career high hitting efficiency Sunday for junior middle Simone Antwi. Antwi had seven kills on eight swings and added two blocks for the Orange and Blue
· 15: kills for Mississippi State, the lowest for a UF opponent since Georgetown's 15 Sept. 13 last season and the lowest against a SEC opponent since 2012 (MSU: 14)
· 15: players for the Gators that saw action in the match-up against the Bulldogs, including sophomore Denise Belcher (fourth match) and freshmen Abby Detering (third match) and Sam Dubiel (third match)
· 14: digs for senior defensive specialist Taylor Unroe, marking her fourth double-digit performance this season, the second in SEC play. Unroe's 14 scoops were her second-most this season to 17 against Oklahoma
· 13: matches the Gators have forced their opponents to operate below a .197 hitting efficiency, including nine of ten SEC matches. Florida held Mississippi State to -.012 Sunday, marking the second time the Gators have held an opponent to a negative hitting efficiency this season (Georgia Southern Aug. 29: -.128)
· 11: straight wins for the Gators, extending UF's longest win streak of the season and the longest of any team in league play. Florida strung together a 13-match win streak from 9/13/13-10/18/13 last season and is just two wins shy of tying that string
· 10: kills for freshman Rhamat Alhassan, the only player on the floor with double-digit slams. Alhassan led the Gators with four blocks and turned in a .500 hitting efficiency. Alhassan and sophomore right side Alex Holston were the lone two players on the court in double-digit points (14.5 and 10.5, respectively)
· 10: straight SEC wins to start conference play. Florida is the only undefeated team in SEC play just over half way through the conference schedule. UF has 12 undefeated SEC seasons all-time in program history, with the last coming in 2010
· 9: total points for Mississippi State in the first set, the lowest for a Gators' opponent in a set this season, a 16-point margin of victory. MSU's nine points were the lowest for an opponent since South Carolina's nine in the second set on Nov. 13 of last year
· 8: SEC sweeps following the win against Mississippi State Sunday (Auburn, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Georgia, Texas A&M, Arkansas, Missouri, Mississippi State). Florida has dropped just two sets in SEC play, both on the road – one to LSU and one to South Carolina (both on the road)
· 8: service aces for Florida against Mississippi State, tying a season high for the team (8 vs. Idaho Aug. 29)
· 8: assists for freshman setter Abby Detering against the Bulldogs, a career-high that doubled the four she had entering the match against Mississippi State
· 2: service aces each for Alhassan and seniors Maddy Monserez and Holly Pole, tying career highs for Alhassan and Monserez, while Pole's two aces matched her season high
UP NEXT
Florida will keep the pedal on the gas with its next match a mid-week tilt Wednesday at Georgia. First serve between the Gators and Bulldogs is slated for 7 p.m. from Athens and will be broadcast live on SEC Network with Adam Amin and Maria Taylor on the call. The Bulldogs and Gators last met in Gainesville Oct. 10, a 3-0 (25-14, 25-15, 25-16) sweep in favor of the Orange and Blue.
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