UF VB | Gators Drop Four-Setter to Seminoles

Sofia Victoria had a career-high 24 kills and 10 digs to lead Florida on the night

Box Score<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__s3.amazonaws.com_sidearm.sites_gatorzone.com_documents_2021_9_15_100159.PDF&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=9mt8GFLnD16c13GfHlWbO5ns6n6UkEx4npsdnQB7eX0&s=4Qx664XwCAiLyYSkNfh5HwE-7Umm2xumc3UK6BUAIWY&e= >

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The 14th-ranked Florida volleyball team dropped a hard-fought four-set match to the Florida State Seminoles on Wednesday evening in Tully Gym.

Florida secured the first set 26-24 after ending the frame with a 4-0 run, but FSU answered with a 25-15 victory in the second. The Seminoles claimed the third and fourth sets, 25-19 and 25-20, respectively to secure the match.

Sofia Victoria had a career-day for the Gators, posting a team-leading 24 kills on the night. T’ara Ceasar added 10 kills, followed by six from Thayer Hall and five from Lauren Forte.

Marlie Monserez dished out 50 assists in the match, while adding eight digs in the four-setter.

As a team, Florida recorded seven blocks, led by three from Hall. Nnedi Okammor, Lauren Dooley and Monserez each pitched in two blocks apiece.

Elli McKissock led the backcourt defense for Florida, recording a team-high 17 digs. Victoria and Ceasar each registered 10 digs apiece, securing double-doubles on the evening.

The Gators close out nonconference play with a two-match series against Coastal Carolina beginning on Saturday. First serve for Saturday’s match is set for 12 p.m., while Sunday’s match is slated to begin at 1 p.m. Both matches can be seen on the SEC Network +.

Records
No. 14 Florida (4-4)
Florida State (7-2)

How it Happened

* Through the first half of the opening frame, the largest lead for either team was a three-point advantage for Florida at 7-4. The Gators took the 15-14 lead into the media timeout and out of the break, the teams continued to trade points until the Seminoles went on a 4-0 run pull ahead three at 20-17. Florida did not bow out, staving off two set points and closing the set on a 4-0 run of its own to secure the first set.
* The Gators hit .316 in the first set, all while holding Florida State to a .068 clip. Victoria had a stellar set, recording nine kills with a .438 clip, while Ceasar added four in the frame.
* With the second set tied 9-9, Florida State pieced together a 3-0 run to force the Gators to call a timeout. Out of the break, the Seminoles continued to roll, taking the seven-point lead at 16-9. UF pulled to within five at 16-11, but FSU extended its lead back to seven, forcing the Gators to use their final timeout at 18-11. Florida State closed the second frame on a 7-4 run to tie the match at 1-1.
* Victoria once again led the offense in the second set, recording three kills, while Ceasar and Gabbi Essix recorded two in the frame.
* The Seminoles jumped out to the early 7-1 lead in the third set, forcing the Gators to use their first timeout. Florida State continued to control the tempo in the third frame, going ahead seven at 20-13, before Florida strung together a 4-0 run to pull within three at 20-17. FSU closed out the third set with a 5-2 run to go up 2-1 in the match.
* Victoria posted a team-high six kills in the set, followed by three from Ceasar.
* Florida took the 7-3 advantage early in the fourth set, thanks in part to a service run by McKissock. The Gators continued to hold at least a three-point lead until the Seminoles tied the frame at 11-all. Florida State pushed ahead of UF midway through, taking the 15-12 lead into the media timeout. Out of that break, the Gators cut the deficit to just one at 16-15, but the Seminoles went on a 6-2 scoring burst to force Florida’s final timeout at the 22-17 mark. The Gators got back to within four at 23-19, but Florida State closed out the set and the match to move to 7-2 on the season.
* In the final set, Victoria once again led the way with six kills, followed by five from Hall in the set.
Notables

* Sofia Victoria earned her first career start for the Gators and she had a career-high 24 kills and a personal-best 10 digs in the match
* She also notched the first double-double of her career on Wednesday night
* T’ara Ceasar recorded her third double-double of the year, finishing with 10 kills and 10 digs
* The Gators drop to 43-21 against the Seminoles in the all-time series
* Florida is now 13-6 in four-set matches against Florida State
Up Next

* The Gators welcome Coastal Carolina for a two-match series beginning on Saturday, closing out nonconference play
* Saturday’s first serve is set for 12 p.m., followed by a 1 p.m. start on Sunday
* Both matches will air on the SEC Network +
No. 14 Florida vs. Coastal Carolina Broadcast Information – Sept. 18
Date & Time: Sept. 18 | 12 p.m.
Live Stream: SECN +<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.espn.com_watch_player-3Fid-3Ddceb9c98-2D3dca-2D4f20-2D8122-2D182eb7d11dbd&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=9mt8GFLnD16c13GfHlWbO5ns6n6UkEx4npsdnQB7eX0&s=Y_WS-eCmYRRKd35rRYOOR99lShxInEC0Ee2csbvrXnk&e= >
Live Stats: Statbroadcast<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__stats.statbroadcast.com_statmonitr_-3Fid-3D360592&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=9mt8GFLnD16c13GfHlWbO5ns6n6UkEx4npsdnQB7eX0&s=BHsUrgpfSE4cF5cGBWC148LNDFlnMzZqktEtK6CJzIs&e= >
Radio: FloridaGators.com/watch<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_showcase-3FLive-3D3603&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=9mt8GFLnD16c13GfHlWbO5ns6n6UkEx4npsdnQB7eX0&s=6KyTmNdF-Y_w9opukRvIIJLaK-q6VU_68BRvs_Jqxz8&e= >

No. 14 Florida vs. Coastal Carolina Broadcast Information – Sept. 19
Date & Time: Sept. 19 | 1 p.m.
Live Stream: SECN +<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.espn.com_watch_player-3Fid-3Dd0aeadc9-2D49ae-2D4cbf-2Daaa3-2D8b54b77abf77&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=9mt8GFLnD16c13GfHlWbO5ns6n6UkEx4npsdnQB7eX0&s=RwmQpa9d5XJtBGD7RClvzng3CMbXHAE970xaZU_lXxI&e= >
Live Stats: Statbroadcast<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__stats.statbroadcast.com_statmonitr_-3Fid-3D360593&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=9mt8GFLnD16c13GfHlWbO5ns6n6UkEx4npsdnQB7eX0&s=N8lLnL7PvfchgUVCZnosPF8hP5EG4FnypI9E3JRKRzM&e= >
Radio: ESPN 98.1 FM/850 AM<https://www.wruf.com/listen-live/>

Series Information – No. 14 Florida vs. Coastal Carolina
Chanticleers | 2021 season synopsis: 6-2

* This is the first meeting between the Gators and the Chanticleers

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