Gators Top Aggies in Five to Remain Unbeaten in SEC

Friday, October 5

Gainesville, FL

7 PM

Florida Gators

14-3, 5-0SEC

Texas A&M

10-6, 3-1SEC

Texas A&M

Gators Top Aggies in Five to Remain Unbeaten in SEC

Friday, October 5, 2018 | Volleyball

Box Score

Florida and Texas A&M battled to five sets, but the Gators came out victorious

By: Katie Callahan

Box Score | Highlights | SEC Network Sit-down with Allie Monserez

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The No. 11 Florida Gators defeated the Texas A&M Aggies in a tough five-setter on Friday night to remain unbeaten in the SEC.

Florida won the first set, 25-18, then secured the second set 25-22. The Gators dropped their first SEC set this season in the third, 25-21 and then fell 25-22 in the fourth. In the deciding fifth set, Florida came out victorious with a 15-12 win.

UF moves to 5-0 in the SEC for the 22nd time under head coach Mary Wise.

Holly Carlton led the way offensively for Florida, finishing with 14 kills and Paige Hammons added a career-best 13 kills into the mix.

Allie Monserez dished out 33 assists, while Marlie Monserez posted 11 of her own.

The defense was a force at the net, recording 10 blocks as a team. Holly Carlton registered a season-high seven blocks, while Rachael Kramer and Taelor Kellum both added five of their own. Allie Gregory controlled the backcourt for the Gators, finishing with 20 digs.

Florida continues conference play with a match against Georgia on Sunday. The match is slated for a 1 p.m. start in Exactech Arena and will air on the SEC Network. Sam Gore and Dain Blanton will be on the call.

How it Happened

The Gators jumped out early on Texas A&M, gaining a 5-0 lead behind the serves of Allie Monserez. Florida had as much as an 11-point lead at 17-6 before the Aggies battled back to within seven at 20-13. UF closed out the frame with three kills and a block to secure the victory.
- Florida hit a stellar .600 in the set, racking up 14 kills along the way. Paige Hammons led the way with four kills, followed by three from both Taelor Kellum and Holly Carlton.
The teams fought back-and-forth for every point in the second set. Florida held a 12-7 lead early, but Texas A&M battled to tie it up at 14-14 and from that point on, the squads traded points. With the score tied 22-22, the Gators went on a three-point run to close it out, behind kills from both Holly Carlton and Paige Hammons.
- The Gators recorded 14 kills, hitting .238 in the frame. Holly Carlton, Thayer Hall and Taelor Kellum each pitched in three kills, while Paige Hammons and Rachael Kramer added two of their own.
The third set was another tight one between these two teams, with the score being tied 15-15 midway through. Texas A&M went on a 7-1 run to take a 21-16 lead and although Florida attempted to chip away late, the Aggies held on to win 25-21.
- UF only hit .143 in the third set, tallying 10 kills. Paige Hammons registered three, while Taelor Kellum and Mia Sokolowski each added two apiece.
The Gators led 9-4 early in the fourth set, but Texas A&M chipped away at the deficit to tie the frame at 11-11. The latter half of the set was back-and-forth between the two teams, with neither squad holding more than a three-point lead. With the set tied 22-22, Texas A&M went on a 3-0 run to force a deciding fifth set.
- Florida hit .190 in the fourth frame, behind four kills apiece from Holly Carlton, Paige Hammons and Rachael Kramer.
UF took the early 6-3 lead in the deciding fifth set, thanks in part to two kills from Holly Carlton and two errors by Texas A&M. Florida would eventually take a 10-5 lead before the Aggies cut the deficit to one at 11-10. Two A&M attack errors and two Gator kills secured the victory for Florida.
- The Gators hit .333 in the final set, thanks in part to three kills from Holly Carlton.

Notables

Holly Carlton led the team with 14 kills and seven blocks
Paige Hammons recorded a career-high 13 kills in the match
Allie Monserez collected her sixth double-double of the season, recording 33 assists and 11 digs
Thayer Hall picked up her third double-double of the year, registering 10 kills and 15 digs
The Gators move to 15-1 all-time against the Aggies
Florida is now 3-1 in five-set matches against Texas A&M
UF moves to 14-3 overall and 5-0 in the SEC
The Gators move to 5-0 in the SEC for the 22nd time under head coach Mary Wise
Florida won 14-straight sets to start conference play before dropping the third frame against the Aggies – the 14 sets to start SEC play is the third-longest streak since 1991
UF is now 1-2 in five-set matches

Thoughts from Coach Wise

"It was a really tough match that either team could have won. A&M played extremely well and Holland Hans had one of the all-time best performances in the O'Connell Center."

Players' Corner
Redshirt Sophomore RS Holly Carlton

"That was a highly competitive match and it was our first time going to five sets in conference. It was our first five-set win this season, which is a great feeling. Texas A&M played a great scrappy game and did some really great things tonight."

Sophomore Paige Hammons

"Props to Texas A&M – they served us great and they defended really well tonight. Holland Hans is a fantastic player and she really got us tonight. It was an overall team effort and Allie Monserez had a great game for us tonight."

Up Next

The Gators welcome Georgia to Exactech Arena on Sunday for a 1 p.m. matchup
The match will air on the SEC Network with Sam Gore and Dain Blanton on the call
Florida holds the 62-9 advantage over the Bulldogs

No. 11 Florida vs. Georgia
Time & Date: Sunday, Oct. 7, 2018 | 1 p.m.
TV: SEC Network
Live Stream: WatchESPN
Live Stats: Sidearm
Radio: ESPN 98.1FM/850 AM
Tickets: Gator Ticket Office

Series Information – No. 11 Florida vs. Georgia

This is the 72nd meeting between the two schools
Florida leads 62-9, including a 59-1 record under Mary Wise
3-set: 46-4 | 4-set: 13-2 | 5-set: 3-3
Home: 28-2 | Away: 26-4 | Neutral: 8-3
Last time out: Oct. 8, 2017 | Gainesville, Fla. | W, 3-0 (25-13, 25-23, 27-25)

TICKET INFORMATION | Gator Ticket Office Online | Call: 352-375-4683 x6800 (Open M-F, 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.)
Season Ticket Prices:

Reserved (Sections 09*, 11*, 13*, 15*, 23, 25, 27, 29) – $50 [all ages]
General Admission (All other lower bowl areas) – $35 [ages 13 and up]
Courtside Season Pass (subject to availability) – $150 [all ages]
Loge Seating (subject to availability) [in front of the Sideline Club] – $75 [all ages]

Single-Match Ticket Prices:

Reserved (Sections 09*, 11*, 13*, 15*, 23, 25, 27, 29) | $6 [all ages]
General Admission (All other lower bowl areas) | $4 [ages 13 and up] / FREE [ages 12 and under]
Student General Admission – FREE [with valid Gator1 ID]