Gators Set to Celebrate Seniors Friday in Regular-Season Finale Versus LIU Brooklyn
Thursday, November 26, 2015 | Volleyball
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Gator Nation will celebrate five seniors in Simone Antwi, Mackenzie Dagostino, Gabby Mallette, Nikki O'Rourke and éiva Recek Friday in a pre-match ceremony at the O'Dome as No. 17 Florida wraps up its regular-season schedule at home against the LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds.
First serve Friday afternoon is slated for 3 p.m. on the front end of a Florida volleyball and men's basketball doubleheader at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center. Gator and Blackbird fans can watch the match stream live via WatchESPN on SEC Network +.
FREE ADMISSION to volleyball with your Florida vs. Florida State football ticket for Saturday! Gator volleyball fans are encouraged to park in the Stephen C. O'Connell Center parking garage. Post-match autographs will be moved to the practice court in the O'Dome between gates 3 & 4 to accommodate men's basketball pre-game set-up immediately following the conclusion of volleyball.
In LIU Brooklyn, the Gators will face former UF volunteer assistant Ken Ko in his first year with the Blackbirds. LIU Brooklyn is 14-13 on the year, but was 12-2 in the NEC and competed in its tournament championship match last weekend.
Florida will celebrate a senior class that has compiled a record of 104-19 (.846) to go along with two SEC Championships.
Wednesday was a stellar day for the Orange and Blue as a conference high five Gators were named to the 2015 All-SEC squad, including Rhamat Alhassan, Simone Antwi, Mackenzie Dagostino, Alex Holston and éiva Recek. Florida spent the morning at UF Health / Shands Hospital in Gainesville on its annual Thanksgiving trip
Florida leads the nation in hitting efficiency at .320, ranks 13th in kills per set (14.39), 19th in blocks per set (2.78), 28th in assists per set (13.21) and 25th in opponent hitting efficiency (.163). The Gators have held 14 opponents to a .200 efficiency or lower this season.
In the big scope of the SEC, the Gators sit fourth (13-5) in the SEC standings behind Kentucky and Missouri (13-4) and conference champion Texas A&M (15-2). Six conference matches remain for other league institutions between Friday and Saturday's schedules before postseason play begins. The Orange and Blue rank first in the conference in efficiency (.320), opponent efficiency (.163), assists (13.21/s), kills (14.39/s) and lead the SEC through league play in efficiency (.315) and kills per set (14.34).
LAST WEEK NOTES
The Gators wrapped up the 2015 SEC schedule last weekend with a two-match road swing to LSU and No. 25 Texas A&M. Florida split the weekend set, first sweeping LSU for its 16th sweep of the campaign -- 13th in conference play -- before falling in five in College Station in its conference finale. The Gators are now 21-6 overall on the year, and wrapped up Southeastern Conference play at 13-5. After junior right side Alex Holston led the Gators to a sweep at LSU with a floor-high 14 kills -- her fifth straight match leading UF in the category -- the Gators lost a heartbreaker at Texas A&M Friday. Despite double-doubles from Mackenzie Dagostino, Ziva Recek and double-digit kill and dig outings from four different Gators, Florida fell short in five at Reed Arena in the Gators' SEC finale. While sophomore middle Rhamat Alhassan led Florida with 16 kills, six blocks and a .577 clip, Dagostino eclipsed 2,500 career digs against the Aggies (2,519) to solidify her No. 9 place in UF's career record book
GATOR NOTABLES
· Simone Antwi voted into University of Florida Student Senate
· éiva Recek earns AVCA Coaches 4 Coaches Scholarship
· Florida checks in at No. 5 in this week's RPI rankings after playing a gruesome non-conference schedule that included seven straight matches on the road to start the season. Florida is additionally 4-3 against top-25 opponents in 2015 heading into the NCAA postseason
· Florida leads the nation in hitting efficiency at .320, ranks 13th in kills per set (14.39), 19th in blocks per set (2.78), 28th in assists per set (13.21) and 25th in opponent hitting efficiency (.163). The Gators have held 14 opponents to a .200 efficiency or lower this season.
· Gator sophomore middle blocker Rhamat Alhassan ranks third in the country with 1.62 blocks per set, ranks eighth in the nation in hitting efficiency (.432) and checks in 10th in overall blocks (157). Senior middle Simone Antwi ranks 35th in the nation with her .388 clip. Senior setter Mackenzie Dagostino ranks 11th in the NCAA with 11.59 assists per set
· As a team, the Gators lead the SEC in efficiency (.320), opponent efficiency (.163), assists (13.21/s), kills (14.39/s) and lead the SEC through league play in efficiency (.315) and kills per set (14.34).
· The Gators have posted double-digit blocks in 17 of 27 matches this year with a season high 17 at Kentucky Oct. 18. Florida has had back-to-back 14-block matches heading into LIU with 14 at both LSU and Texas A&M
· UF has limited its opponents to a .200 efficiency or lower on 14 different occasions -- including a negative efficiency twice -- while Florida boasts a season-best efficiency of .517 against Texas A&M on Oct. 9 when the Gators posted their lowest error match of the year (six attack and three service errors)
· Florida served up a season-high eight service aces last week against Alabama. Florida has five or more service aces in 11 matches in 2015
· UF has been perfect receiving in one match in 2015 (San Diego State)
FLORIDA AT LSU BROADCAST INFORMATION
LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds (Nov. 27)
Time: 3:00 p.m. ET
Stream: WatchESPN (SEC Network +)
Radio: ESPN Gainesville
Live Stats: Sidearm Stats
UF | LIU BROOKLYN SERIES HISTORY
· 2015 Record: 14-13, 12-2 NEC
· Series Record: Florida leads, 1-0
· 3-set: 0-0; 4-set: 1-0; 5-set: 0-0
· Home: 1-0 | Away: 0-0 | Neutral: 0-0
· Last Time Out: August 30, 2013 at Gainesville | W, 3-1 (25-18, 25-11, 24-26, 25-17)
UP NEXT
Florida will hang tight until the Nov. 29 NCAA Selection Show at 9 p.m. on ESPNU where the Gators will learn their postseason path. On Wednesday, the Gators were named to the AVCA's NCAA Division I Tournament Host Watch List for the First & Second Rounds Dec. 3-4.
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