Gators Put Up Fight to Remember in Heartbreaking Loss
Sunday, December 13, 2015 | Volleyball, Scott Carter
Florida falls one set short of first trip to Final Four since 2003
AUSTIN, Texas -- What do you do when you leave every ounce of effort in your body on the court in a classic five-set battle? What do you do when that elusive trip to the Final Four is within your grasp, and then it vanishes? What do you do when the realization hits that your season is over and so is the dream ending?
In this case, you return to your hotel, gather in the lobby, eat pizza and share time with your teammates and family.
That's what the Florida volleyball team did late Saturday night/early Sunday morning following a heartbreaking loss here to host Texas in the Austin Regional. The record book will always show the Gators lost 25-22, 22-25, 19-25, 25-20, 15-17.
But as losses go, this is one the Gators will remember for reasons beyond the final score. Florida coach Mary Wise certainly took more than a devastating L from it.
"As gutsy a performance as we've ever witnessed,'' Wise said. "Couldn't be more proud of this group."
The Gators nearly pulled off an improbable comeback against the Longhorns at packed Gregory Gym, where Florida defeated the Longhorns in four sets three months ago.
After winning the first set, the Gators lost the next two before staging a rally from a 15-11 deficit in the fourth set.
Senior setter Mackenzie Dagostino highlighted a 6-0 Florida run with three consecutive service aces to put Florida in front. From there, Florida's talented front line took over.
Sophomore middle hitter Rhamat Alhassan's back-to-back kills gave the Gators match point, and when Texas' Amy Neal committed a service error, the Gators faced a fifth set for the second consecutive night.
"We dug down deep. I honestly think what drove us was our seniors,'' Alhassan said. "For them, this is it. They have to go in the real world now. Honestly, that's what it was. We were playing for them."
Five UF seniors -- Dagostino, Gabby Mallette, iva Recek, Simone Antwi and Nikki O'Rourke -- all contributed on Saturday.
Making their second consecutive trip to the Elite Eight, the Gators entered their rematch with the Longhorns playing like a team ready to crash the Final Four for the first time since 2003.
They defeated Wisconsin on Friday night in five sets, their first five-set victory in six tries this season. They had won 16 of 18 when they took the court Saturday. And when the fifth set started, the Gators believed it was their time.
"It was a fun match to play. The entire time on the court, I could see in everyone's eyes that we wanted that so bad,'' sophomore Carli Snyder said. "It was such an exciting match. We wanted it so badly for our seniors. It's just hard to have that kind of match come down to two points."
The fifth set was a seesaw battle that saw the momentum swing on a call against Florida. Trailing 7-6, Snyder drilled a shot that clearly hit in-bounds near the backline but was ruled out. Instead of a tie, Texas led 8-6.
The Longhorns' lead grew to 11-7 and the Gators looked about ready to fold.
Not so fast.
"Right there in the last timeout, the look in these players' eyes, they were embracing the moment and loving every part of it,'' Wise said. "So many great performances."
Once again, it was Alhassan who delivered huge back-to-back kills that capped a 5-0 run for a 12-11 lead. Gregory Gym went silent as the 6-foot-4 Alhassan made her presence known.
"Texas was putting up a fight and we were putting up a fight,'' said Alhassan, who finished with a team-high 19 kills. "The fact it came down to two points is just so unfortunate."
Florida's last lead was 13-12. The Longhorns seized momentum when 6-foot-3 middle blocker Mirta Baselovic stuffed Alhassan's shot for a 14-13 lead.
With the score tied at 15, Texas closed out the match with back-to-back points from Paulina Prieto Cerame on assists from setter Chloe Collins.
Just like that, the Gators' season was over.
"It's definitely hard to drop a postseason match like that,'' Snyder said.
The loss remained fresh when the Gators got back to their hotel. They return to Gainesville on Sunday and the disappointment will linger a few days.
Instead of a Thursday night match against Minnesota for a berth in the national championship game, the Gators will watch from afar contemplating how close they were to being in Omaha.
Those players returning will have an eye toward the future.
"It's definitely a big motivating factor. We are so close,'' Alhassan said. "We have come down to the top eight teams in the nation. We know just a little extra shove we can make it to the Final Four. It's an honor to make it this far and to make it with this group."
Wise was clearly disappointed, but she wasn't defeated.
This team gave her a ride few expected after three consecutive conference losses midseason.
"We were right there until the end,'' she said. "We came in here and battled. It's who this group is. We may take a little time to get over the loss.
"We learned so much about ourselves. I think the team that came to Austin represented the University of Florida, the SEC ... this group did it with such class and grit. It says a whole lot about who they are as people."
As they ate pizza and shared stories afterward, they had nothing to hang their heads about.
