No. 17 Gators Head to Rocky Top for Midweek Showdown on ESPNU
Tuesday, October 13, 2015 | Volleyball
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- After a successful weekend at home, including two SEC sweeps against Texas A&M and Auburn, the No. 17 Gators (11-4, 3-3 SEC) will hit the road for a pair of matches in SEC opponent territory, including a Wednesday showdown on ESPNU in Rocky Top, before a Sunday clash in Lexington with No. 20 Kentucky in Memorial Coliseum.
First up, the Tennessee Volunteers (17-4, 3-3 SEC) in Thompson-Boling Arena as part of the SEC Network's Wednesday night volleyball doubleheader. First serve between the Gators and Vols is slated for 6 p.m. ET on ESPNU with Cara Capuano and Jenny Hazelwood on the call. As always, Gator Nation can additionally listen to Florida play-by-play Tom Collett on the airwaves on ESPN Gainesville (95.3 FM, 850 AM).
Both the Gators and Vols enter their seventh SEC match at 3-3 and coming off big weekends, as Florida got back to the wins column last weekend after a three-match skid, while Tennessee had an impressive 3-1 win over Arkansas at home Sunday.
Florida leads the all-time series with the Vols, 45-12, including a 41-7 mark under head coach Mary Wise. The Orange and Blue are 20-5 all-time against the Volunteers in Knoxville and have won three straight in the history of the series. The last 10 meetings, Florida holds a 6-4 edge.
While a one-match-at-a-time mentality is the approach, Florida looks to chip away at the remainder of the SEC schedule after going 8-1 through a tough non-conference slate that featured four top-20 tilts and seven straight road matches to start the campaign.
NOTABLES | Florida vs. Tennessee Match Notes | Head Coach Mary Wise Media Availability (10-12)
· Weekend Highlights: Florida hit a season-best .517 against Texas A&M and had its lowest-error match of the year (just six attack errors and three service errors)… Carli Snyder was named the SEC Offensive Player of the Week: Hit .609 on the week, career-best .667 versus Auburn and was error-free on the weekend. Served up a career-tying two aces vs. Texas A&M, averaged 2.50 digs per set… Rhamat Alhassan turned in a career-high 18 kills on 21 swings Friday vs. Texas A&M and led UF with five blocks Sunday… Nikki O'Rourke had her fifth 20+ dig match of the season Sunday with 23 scoops, two shy of her career high 25. Nikki's 23 in a three-setter were the most in a SEC match this season
· Florida ranks No. 3 in the nation in hitting efficiency (.308) and No. 5 in blocks per set (3.03) entering Wednesday's match-up in Knoxville
· Gator sophomore middle blocker Rhamat Alhassan paces the nation with 1.91 blocks per set, ranks third with 107 total blocks and also checks in sixth in the country in hitting efficiency at .443
· Senior middle Simone Antwi ranks 23rd in the nation with her .410 clip
· Senior setter Mackenzie Dagostino ranks 20th in the NCAA with 11.27 assists per set
· As a team, the Gators lead the SEC overall on the season in hitting efficiency (.308), kills per set (14.02) and blocks per set (3.03). UF additionally leads the league through conference matches in blocks (2.80/s)
· The Gators have posted double-digit blocks as a team in 13 of 15 matches this year with a season high 16.5 against Texas at the VERT Challenge in Austin
· UF has limited its opponents to a .200 efficiency or lower on seven different occasions, while Florida boasts a season-best efficiency of .571, achieved just Friday against Texas A&M
· Aggressive behind the service line, the Gators have served up four or more aces in all but two matches this season and dropped a season-high seven against Sunshine State rival FSU a week and a half ago
· Florida is 3-2 against top-25 opponents so far this season and will face their sixth ranked foe in the re-match with Kentucky Sunday in Lexington
FLORIDA VS TENNESSEE BROADCAST INFORMATION
Tennessee Volunteers (Oct. 14) at Thompson-Boling Arena
Time: 6:00 p.m. ET
TV: ESPNU (Cara Capuano & Jenny Hazelwood)
Live Stream: WatchESPN
Radio: ESPN Gainesville
Live Stats: Gametracker
No. 17 UF | TENNESSEE SERIES HISTORY
· 2015 Record: 17-4, 3-3 SEC
· Series Record: Florida leads, 45-12 (41-7 under Mary Wise)
o 3-set: 35-1 | 4-set: 8-4 | 5-set: 2-7
o Home: 24-6 | Away: 20-5 | Neutral: 1-1
· Last Time Out: Nov. 2, 2014 at Knoxville| W, 3-0 (25-9, 25-13, 25-17)
· Streaks: Florida has won three straight since 2013
UP NEXT
The Gators will keep match action on the road this week as they travel to Lexington, Ky., Sunday for a re-match with the Wildcats in Memorial Coliseum. Florida and Kentucky will clash live on the SEC Network, with first serve slated for 1 p.m. ET.
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