MATCH STATS
- #1 Florida def. Tennessee 3-0 (25-17, 25-18, 25-19)
- #1 Florida improves to 10-0 (2-0 SEC); Tennessee falls to 8-4 (1-2 SEC)
- Gainesville, Florida (SEC Match)
- Attendance: 3,253
- Box Score
Gainesville, Florida – The Gators stayed undefeated and hit the double-digit win plateau by sweeping rival Tennessee on their home floor. Beyond that, Florida moves to 2-0 in SEC play while Tennessee falls to a match below .500 in conference action.
The top blocking team in the SEC flexed their muscle at the front of the net in the win as they out-blocked Tennessee 13 to 3.5. Cheyenne Huskey led the way with eight blocks and was trailed closely by Rhamat Alhassan, who had six. That led the defense in a match that was a bit sloppy, as Florida was held below their season average to a .252 mark. The Gators defense stifled Tennessee to just a .098 hitting percentage though with more digs (57-48) led by libero Caroline Knop (15 digs) in addition to a higher ace total (six to three) on less serve errors (five to eight). The combination of the front row, back row and serving combined to suffocate the Tennessee offense.
Alyssa Andreno was one of the top Tennessee attackers with seven kills while hitting .278, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the strong Florida defense. Although the Gators weren’t as strong on offense as usual, Rachael Kramer provided a spark out of the middle with 10 kills (while hitting .529) while Alhassan (nine kills) and Shainah Joseph (six kills) followed with .300 or better hitting percentages.
Each set got progressively tighter, both in score and feel. However, none gave too much of a scare to Florida, who earned the 2-0 set lead and a 23-19 advantage late. The match ended with Carli Snyder, the SEC’s top ace per set performer, as she logged back-to-back aces to go with six kills and a dozen digs in the match.
The Gators have one more match to host this weekend as LSU comes to town for a Sunday afternoon match. Tennessee finishes their weekend up on the road as they face South Carolina on Sunday.
PRESS RELEASES:
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – There was a (block) party in Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center, and the Gators celebrated it to the tune of yet another defensive victory, sweeping Tennessee in their first match since 2010 as the nation’s No. 1-ranked team.
Florida now boasts a 28-2 all-time record as the No. 1 team in the nation.
The Gators tallied 13 blocks, their second-highest total this year. Only their 16.5 blocks in a four-set win over Lipscomb topped Friday (Sept. 29) night’s performance. The last time Florida posted at least 13 blocks in a three-set match was Nov. 20, 2015 at LSU (14 blocks).
Sophomore setter Cheyenne Huskey led all players with eight blocks, highlighted by three solo efforts. Three-time All-American middle blocker Rhamat Alhassan added six blocks, and sophomore middle blocker Rachael Kramer swatted four.
With her first block of the match, which came at the 20-15 point in the opening set, Alhassan passed Jenni Patterson (1986-89) for the second-most total blocks in school history (540). Alhassan’s career total now sits at 546, trailing only Benavia Jenkins’ (2000-03) school record of 601.
The defensive efforts of seniors Caroline Knop (15 digs) and Carli Snyder (12 digs), along with the strong blocking, enabled the Gators to hold Tennessee to a .098 hitting percentage. It is the third time this year Florida held an opponent under a .100 clip.
Snyder and the Gators were also strong behind the service line, logging six aces. Snyder smashed two of them to win the match’s final two points, while redshirt junior setter Allie Monserez added a pair, and Alhassan and freshman Paige Hammons had one apiece.
NOTABLES
- Four different Gators had a service ace, and they combined for six aces, matching the second-highest total of the season for a second consecutive outing
- The Gators recorded 10-plus blocks for the eighth time this season, and it’s the third time this year they had at least 12
- Florida’s 57 digs were its highest total in a three-set match this season
- Rachael Kramer recorded double-digit kills for the fifth time this season, and eighth time in her last 13 matches
- Kramer also hit above .525 with at least 14 attacks for a fourth time this season and sixth time in her last 13 matches
- Shainah Joseph recorded a career-high seven digs
- Joseph also hit over .425 with at least nine attacks for the fourth time this season
- Rhamat Alhassan has 49 kills in the Gators’ last four matches
- The Gators have never lost a match during the regular season as the nation’s No. 1 team (23-0 record)
- Florida improved its all-time record against Tennessee to 49-12, along with a 45-7 mark under head coach Mary Wise
NEXT UP
Florida continues its four-match homestand Sunday (Oct. 1). First serve is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET, and SEC Network will televise the action. Tom Collett and Josh Crow will have the radio call on ESPN Gainesville 98.1 FM / 850 AM as well.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Tennessee could not get anything going offensively against the No. 1 Florida Gators Saturday night as they fell in straight sets (25-17, 25-18, 25-19) on the road at the Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center.
Tennessee (8-4, 1-2 SEC) was led by Alyssa Andreno, who finished the match hitting .278 with seven kills and Erica Treiber, who tied a match high with 10 kills on 27 attacks for the Vols; the two combined for 17 of the teams 24 kills on the night.
The Lady Vols held the lead for a large portion of the opening set until the Gators (10-0, 2-0 SEC) tied that set up at 9-9; after which Florida scored the next five points. An attack error by Florida broke the run to make it 14-10, which was followed up with a kill by Rachael Kramer and then a service error by Carli Snyder cut the lead to 15-11.
Tennessee called its final timeout of the set with the score 20-15 and Florida went on to score five of the final seven points to the take the opening set 25-17.
The Vols hit just .114 in the opening set and were led by Breana Jeter.
In the second set, Florida used a 4-0 run to retake the lead at 8-5 until back-to-back kills by Treiber and Andreno made it 8-7. The Gators would then score 13 of the next 20 points to take a 21-14 lead.
The Vols battled back to score four more points, but it was not enough against the Gators’ high-powered offense as they went on to win 25-18. Andreno had a hitting percentage of .800 with four kills on five attacks in the set.
In the final set, the Gators never gave up the lead at any point and held on to win 25-19. Kanisha Jimenez and Madison Coulter combined for five of the 10 kills in the set and they also had 25 of the 45 attacks.
Florida was led by Kramer, who had a match-high .529 hitting percentage with 10 kills on 17 attacks. The Gators finished the match hitting .252 with 13 blocks.
Tennessee will head to Columbia, S.C., to face the Gamecocks of South Carolina on Sunday at 1 p.m.
MATCH NOTES:
- Stephanie Buss and Asha Phillips each got their first start of the season.
- Sedona Hansen made it her 12th match with double-digit assists.
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