Gators Head to Kentucky for Top-10 Rematch

Wednesday, November 1

Lexington, KY

7 PM

Florida Gators

Kentucky

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Rachael Kramer (center) has been on a tear nearly all of October.

Gators Head to Kentucky for Top-10 Rematch

Tuesday, October 31, 2017 | Volleyball

For the first time in SEC history, two teams ranked sixth or higher nationally will meet

By: Zach Dirlam

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Florida, checking in at No. 4 in the AVCA Coaches Poll for a third straight week, heads to No. 6 Kentucky for the fourth top-10 matchup in Southeastern Conference history. It is also the first time in history two SEC teams enter a match ranked in the top six.

The Gators (18-1, 10-1 SEC) trail the Wildcats (19-2, 10-0) by a game in the SEC standings. That margin came from Florida's four-set loss to Kentucky, in Gainesville, back on Oct. 15. Although Florida will have another six conference matches left, it needs a win Wednesday night to control its own destiny in the SEC title race.

The Gators continue to be one of two teams in the nation (Nebraska being the other) with multiple wins over teams currently ranked sixth or higher in the RPI. No team has three. And no team has beaten three teams ranked sixth or higher in the AVCA poll, something the Gators can achieve with a win in Lexington.

Rhamat Alhassan is coming off her third weekly recognition of the year, collecting SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Week honors earlier this week.

BROADCAST INFORMATION | Match Notes
Wednesday, Nov. 1 at No. 6 Kentucky | 7 p.m. ET
TV: ESPNU | Streaming: Watch ESPN | Radio: Audio Stream [Tom Collett] (also available via ESPN Gainesville 98.1 FM / 850 AM) | Live Stats

NOTABLE NEWS & NUMBERS (national stat rankings updated through Oct. 30)

Florida and Texas are the only teams in the nation ranked in the top 15 nationally in hitting percentage and opponent hitting percentage
Florida is one of four teams (Penn State, Western Kentucky, Wisconsin) with two players ranked inside the top 30 nationally in hitting percentage
The Gators rank third nationally in opponent hitting percentage (.129) and are on track to finish with a season average below .145 for the first time since 2004
Florida has held its opponents below a .100 clip in 26 of 66 sets this season (39 percent)
The Gators rank fourth nationally in blocks per set (3.13), and they have 10-plus blocks in 16 of their 18 matches
Rhamat Alhassan is tied for the national lead in blocks per set (1.77) and 27th in hitting percentage (.395)
Rachael Kramer ranks fifth nationally and leads the SEC in hitting percentage (.451)
Kramer is coming off her 10th match of the year with at least 10 kills; she only had five such matches as a freshman
Carli Snyder ranks seventh in the nation and leads the SEC in service aces per set (0.53)
Shainah Joseph climbed to seventh in the SEC in hitting percentage (.333) and is hitting .409 with 34 kills in her last four matches
Cheyenne Huskey is tied for fifth in the SEC and tied for 73rd nationally in blocks per set (1.18)
- Huskey is the only setter ranked higher than 161st nationally

SCOUTING THE WILDCATS
No. 6 Kentucky (19-2, 10-0 SEC) | 2016 synopsis: 23-8 overall, 15-3 SEC (t-3rd) | NCAA Tournament Second Round

Series History: Florida leads, 50-13 (48-6 under Mary Wise)
3-set: 35-6 | 4-set: 9-2 | 5-set: 6-5
Home: 24-7 | Away: 22-5 | Neutral: 4-1
Last Time Out: Oct. 15, 2017 in Gainesville à L,1-3 (20-25, 22-25, 25-23, 16-25)