No. 8 Volleyball Kicks Off #UFvsUGA Week in Athens Wednesday at 7 p.m. on the SEC Network
Tuesday, October 28, 2014 | Volleyball
ATHENS, Ga. -- The No. 8 Gators will kick off Florida-Georgia week for the University of Florida with a clash in Athens against the Bulldogs Wednesday evening at Stegeman Coliseum. First serve between the Gators and Dawgs is slated for 7 p.m. on the SEC Network with Adam Amin and Maria Taylor on the call.
Reigning SEC Freshman of the Week Rhamat Alhassan, who ranks first in the SEC and second in the NCAA with her .472 hitting efficiency, helped lead the Orange and Blue to sweeps of Missouri and Mississippi State last weekend and will guide UF into its second match-up with Georgia this season at 16-3 overall on the season, 10-0 in SEC play
The Gators, No. 8 in this week's RPI rankings, sit atop the SEC standings just over half way through conference play. Florida owns 12 undefeated SEC seasons all-time, with the last being in 2010, and the Gators carry an 11-match win streak into the tilt in Athens -- the 11th-longest win streak in the country right now.
Following the Florida-Georgia showdown on Wednesday, the Gators will be back in action in Knoxville Sunday with a contest at Tennessee. Melissa Lee and Missy Whittemore will have the call between the Gators and Lady Vols at noon on the SEC Network.
UF has dropped just two sets in SEC play and has held its opponents to below a .197 clip in 13 matches this season, including nine of 10 SEC matches. Last time out, the Gators limited the Dawgs to a .022 clip as Florida swept Georgia in Gainesville Oct. 10 (25-14, 25-15, 25-16). Sunday's meeting will be the first this season between the Gators and Lady Vols.
| NO. 8 FLORIDA | GEORGIA, TENNESSEE BROADCAST INFORMATION |
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| Match Time | TV | Radio Stream | Live Stats | |||
| FLORIDA | GEORGIA | 7 p.m. | ||||||
| FLORIDA | TENNESSEE | 12 p.m. | ||||||
FLORIDA VERSUS THIS WEEK'S OPPONENTS | FLORIDA MATCH NOTES
GEORGIA | OCTOBER 29 | STEGEMAN COLISEUM | 7 p.m. ET | SEC NETWORK
· 2014 Record: 10-11, 2-7 SEC
· Series Record: Florida leads, 57-9 (54-1 under Mary Wise)
• 3-set: 41-4; 4-set: 13-2; 5-set: 3-3
• Home: 26-2 | Away: 23-4 | Neutral: 8-3
· Last Time Out: Oct. 10, 2014 at Gainesville | W, 3-0 (25-14, 25-15, 25-16)
· Last Win at Athens: Nov. 23, 2012 | W, 3-0 (25-21, 25-22, 25-19)
TENNESSEE | NOVEMBER 2 | THOMPSON-BOLING ARENA | 12 p.m. ET | SEC NETWORK
· 2014 Record: 8-15, 1-8 SEC
· Series Record: Florida leads, 44-12 (40-7 under Mary Wise)
• 3-set: 34-1 | 4-set: 8-4 | 5-set: 2-7
• Home: 24-6 | Away: 19-5 | Neutral: 1-1
· Last Time Out: Nov. 20, 2013 | W, 3-0 (25-18, 25-21, 25-17)
· Last Win at Knoxville: The Gators and Lady Vols last met in Knoxville last season
FLORIDA STORYLINES
· The only SEC team undefeated in league play with a two-match cushion over Kentucky, the No. 8 Gators will look to add their 11th and 12th SEC victories at Georgia and Tennessee this week
· Florida owns 12 undefeated SEC seasons all-time in program history, with the last coming in 2010 (20-0). The Gators were 16-2 in the SEC last season, with both losses coming to Mizzou
· The Gators own an 11-match win streak, the 11th longest active win streak in the country and the longest in the SEC
· Florida has dropped just two sets in SEC play (3-1 wins at LSU Oct. 3 & at South Carolina Wednesday), and has eight SEC sweeps otherwise
· The Gators have forced their opponents to operate below a .197 hitting efficiency in 13 matches this season so far, including nine of ten SEC matches. Florida held Mississippi State to -.012 Sunday, marking the second time Florida has held an opponent to a negative hitting efficiency this season (Georgia Southern Aug. 29: -.128)
WHO'S HOT?
· The reigning SEC Freshman of the Week in Rhamat Alhassan, who ranks second in the NCAA in hitting efficiency. Alhassan averaged 5.33 points per set, 4.00 kills per set and 1.50 blocks per frame against Missouri and Mississippi State combined last weekend. Alhassan slammed down 14 kills, two shy of her season-best 16, and had five roofs to lead all players on the floor against Mizzou. Her 17.5 points against the Tigers were 1.5 points off her career-best 19, and the first-year Gator then turned around and put up 14.5 points towards Florida's tally Sunday against Mississippi State. Alhassan was the lone player on the floor with double-digit kills (10) and again led the field with four roofs -- her 18th match this season leading UF in blocks
· Alhassan registered a .591 and .500 hitting efficiency marks against Missouri and Mississippi State, respectively, her eighth and ninth matches this year with a .500 clip or better. Alhassan tied a career high with two service aces against Mississippi State, and also served up one ace against Mizzou for a total of three (of her eight this season) last weekend. She now has at least one service ace in four straight matches for the Gators
· Junior middle Simone Antwi has been quietly consistent for the Gators. Antwi registered a career-best .875 (7-0-8) Sunday against MSU and ranks second for the Gators in SEC play behind Alhassan with a .385 hitting efficiency
· Florida's depth -- 15 players on UF's 17-member roster played Sunday against Mississippi State
· Junior outside hitter Gabby Mallette. Mallette played just one set in 2014 before SEC play. She has now started UF's last seven matches and ranks third in SEC play with her 76 kills and .360 clip
· Florida's back row -- all seniors, the heartbeat of Florida's defense, which stabilizes the offense: Monserez was SEC Co-Defensive POW last week, Pole led UF in digs vs. Mizzou (13), Unroe against MSU (14)
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