The No. 1-ranked Gators open a stretch of four consecutive home matches starting Friday. (Photo: Tim Casey/UAA Communications)
Gators' Trip to Top is impressive; they want more, much more
Friday, September 29, 2017 | Volleyball, Scott Carter
Florida is 9-0 for the first time in 10 years and hosts Tennessee and LSU this weekend.
In its first game of the season, the Florida volleyball team disposed of No. 1-ranked Texas in the program's debut at revamped Exactech Arena/O'Connell Center. The Gators have beaten three other ranked teams since, taking their place at No. 1 earlier this week.
They started No. 12 and have steadily moved up, up, up. From the outside looking in, life is good for UF veteran coach Mary Wise, whose program is atop the national poll for the third time in school history and first since 2010.
The undefeated Gators (9-0) are winning with offense, a grittier defense, resiliency and attitude. They open a four-game homestand Friday night against Tennessee. LSU visits on Sunday afternoon.
Florida is coming off a five-set victory at Arkansas last weekend in the Southeastern Conference opener. At a video session on Tuesday, Wise, in her 27th season, lived a coach's dream.
"The perfect situation is to win and still have a lot to learn from,'' Wise said. "That's pretty special."
Florida trailed the Razorbacks 4-1 at the start of the fifth set. Wise called a timeout to regroup. She saw players trying to extend their roles when they didn't need to. She sensed it was time to remind them of what got them here and what will get them to where they want to go.
They all have the same destination in mind.
"We did have a gut check,'' senior outside hitter Carli Snyder said. "She is so good at firing us up."
Wise and assistant Dave Boos worked their magic during the timeout. The Gators stormed back to win the fifth set and book win No. 9.
"At that moment, there were a lot of things going in Arkansas' favor,'' Wise said. "From that point on, we asked each of the players not to do anything more than they are cable of doing, but to do what they are capable of doing."
The Gators had the look of a contender prior to the season. The team returned five seniors – matching the largest senior class in program history – anchored by Snyder, the spirited Shainah Joseph, and All-American middle blocker Rhamat Alhassan, who posted a career-high 20 kills in the victory at Arkansas.
The senior class steers the bus the Gators hope leads them to the Final Four and the program's first national championship.
No. 1 is nice, but not nice enough.
"We just don't want to get through games, we want to thrive in them,'' Snyder said. "We don't just want to know the scouting report, we want to thrive. We want to be really sure of what we're doing. That's something we are still working on now."
Alhassan backed up Snyder loud and clear.
"We don't think we're 1. We don't think we've capped yet. We're not done getting better,'' she said. "Yeah, we're ranked 1 now, but we want to be ranked 1 at the end of the season. That's what really means something to us."
The Gators have opened eyes with their quick start.
More than 7,000 fans turned out for the season-opening win over the Longhorns, a longtime nemesis. They followed up that win with one against fifth-ranked Nebraska. The Gators have also defeated No. 16 North Carolina, and No. 19 Florida State. The victory over the Seminoles, who upset Florida in the second round of last year's NCAA Tournament, was one of several confidence boosts in the short season thus far.
It also was a step on the way to the top.
"This is a team that is always looking to improve the next practice,'' Snyder said. "I don't think the coaches are too worried about us resting on a No 1-ranking in September."
Wise is certain to give that mindset a like. Same goes for what Alhassan said when asked why she believes this is a team built for the long haul and not just a September champion.
"The biggest thing for us is that we haven't necessarily been up in every set,'' Alhassan said. "We've been one collective unit, working hard, just sticking together and being us and not necessarily worrying about the outside forces, not necessarily worrying about what's going on on the other side of the net, but focusing on us and what we do best."
Wise is a like a taxi cab driver in New York City when it comes to perspective in the sport – she has seen it all. The good, bad, ugly and everything in between.
She's always built top-tier teams, a few great ones, and now this one. They are all unique. This one perhaps more than usual.
"This team is a lot of fun to be around. Every team is a reflection of their senior class," Wise said. "You tell me how many All-American middles play the violin. And Carli swears she was born in the '60s and is a hippie. They have a youthfulness to them in just their joy of living. That transcends to the court."
It shows.
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