Senior Libero Holly Pole Picks Up SEC Defensive Player of the Week Honors
Monday, September 29, 2014 | Volleyball
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Florida volleyball senior libero Holly Pole earned SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors to cap off a stellar weekend for the No. 10 Gators as UF improved to 8-3 overall on the season and kicked off conference play an undefeated 2-0 with sweeps against Auburn and Ole Miss.
Pole, a defensive specialist who has stepped up in the libero position for the Gators this season, has led Florida's back row efforts and been a consistent leader among UF's senior corps to help stabilize the Gators' receiving and passing efforts at first contact. Pole has also shined on the serve, with five aces this season -- four of those aces coming in UF's last three matches.
Pole scooped up 4.33 digs per set last weekend against Auburn and Ole Miss -- third in the SEC -- and had zero errors in 29 receptions; she's registered a perfect reception percentage in UF's past three matches, and in seven matches so far this season. Against Ole Miss, Pole served 1.000 with one service ace and no errors in 11 serves. The Ocala, Fla., native has led UF in digs seven matches this season, including seven straight matches with double-digit scoops to carry into UF's upcoming LSU, Mississippi State road swing. She had a career-tying 20 digs against Marquette on Sept. 19 and has had at least one service ace in Florida's last three matches.
In UF's sweep at Auburn Friday, Pole served six straight Florida points in the middle of the third set, which took the Gators from an 11-11 tie to a 17-11 advantage UF wouldn't relinquish in the straight-set win.
WISE MONDAY ON HOLLY POLE | Watch Mary Wise Monday Press Conference | SEC Players of the Week Release
On Pole:
“She's definitely hit her stride. We grade our players' performances so we can have the ability as coaches to see exactly the areas we want to work on. What we're looking for is not just her passing numbers, her serving numbers and not just dig numbers, but what's the quality of her dig -- of the balls that are hit in her neighborhood, how many of those does she make a play on? She's doing it at 90 percent, which is just ridiculously high. We're at a point now in practice or in a game -- when Holly misses a dig, you see it on her face -- she is mad. She expects every ball, to be 100 percent. The confidence she's playing with and the acceptance of the roles played by Maddy (Monserez) and Taylor (Unroe), we are so lucky to have what we have… We are reaping the benefits of this senior class.”
On UF's senior defensive specialists:
“It all starts with first contact. I can't say enough good things about our corps of seniors and how hard they work, the pride they put in, the hours -- not just now, but you date back all the way to their freshman year -- and how hard they have worked to become the stabilizers that they are for us.”
2014 SEC ATHLETE OF THE WEEK HONORS
Sept. 2: SEC Freshman of the Week, Rhamat Alhassan
Sept. 15: SEC Offensive Player of the Week, Rhamat Alhassan
Sept. 16: Sports Imports/AVCA Division I National Player of the Week, Rhamat Alhassan
Sept. 29: SEC Defensive Player of the Week, Holly Pole
UP NEXT
After its 2-0 Southeastern Conference start with wins over Auburn and Ole Miss, No. 10 Florida now hits the road for an away weekend at LSU and Mississippi State October 3 and 5. Both matches will air live on the SEC Network. Both LSU and Mississippi State have started their respective SEC schedules 0-2, LSU with a pair of 3-1 losses versus Kentucky and at Alabama, while the Bulldogs lost in straight sets on the road at Missouri and Arkansas in the opening weekend of conference play.
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