Gators Fall in Regular Season Finale
The team now awaits to see how the NCAA Tournament Selection Show shakes out on Sunday night
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The No. 20 Florida volleyball team closed out its regular season on Saturday afternoon in Memorial Coliseum, dropping a three-set contest to the No. 8 Kentucky Wildcats.
Florida finishes the 2021 regular season campaign with a 20-8 record overall and 14-4 record in league play, while Kentucky ends with a 24-4 overall record and a 17-1 record in the SEC.
With the way the final weekend of conference play shook out, the Wildcats took sole possession of the SEC title, while the Gators finished third overall.
Kentucky took the first set 25-18 and followed with a 25-20 victory in the second frame. The Wildcats clinched the match with a 25-23 win in the final set.
Sofia Victoria led Florida’s offensive attack on the afternoon, while Thayer Hall followed with eight kills of her own. Merritt Beason posted seven, while middle blockers Lauren Forte and Bre Kelley each recorded six apiece.
Marlie Monserez registered 30 assists in the match, to go along with 11 digs and four kills.
At the net, the Gators recorded 6.0 blocks, led by a team-high four from Beason and Kelley.
Florida’s backcourt defense was led by a 14-dig performance from Elli McKissock. Monserez pitched in 11 for her 10th double-double of the year, while Hall and Victoria added eight and five, respectively.
With the regular season coming to a close, the Gators now await their matchup in the NCAA Tournament. The Selection Show airs Sunday at 8:30 p.m. on ESPNU.
Records
No. 20 Florida (20-8, 14-4 SEC)
No. 8 Kentucky (24-4, 17-1 SEC)
How it Happened
* The start of the first set was tight between the two teams, but the Gators took the slight three-point advantage at the 7-4 mark. The Wildcats dug themselves out of the hole, tying the frame up at 9-9. With the teams trading points, Kentucky pieced together a 4-0 run to take the 15-12 lead into the media timeout. Florida pulled back to within two at the 19-17 mark, but Kentucky closed out the set on a 6-1 run to take the 1-0 lead.
* Forte led the way with four kills in the first set, followed by three from Ceasar. Beason and Hall each added two apiece in the frame.
* With the second set tied 5-all, the Wildcats went on a 4-0 run to grab the 9-5 advantage. Florida pulled back to within two at 9-7, but Kentucky continued to push ahead, forcing the Gators to use their final timeout of the frame at the 21-15 mark. Out of the break, the Gators cut the deficit to just two at 21-19 after a Hall service run, but Kentucky held on for the 25-20 victory.
* Beason and Kelley posted three kills apiece in the second set, followed by two from Victoria, Hall and Monserez.
* The third set started as a back-and-forth affair between the two squads, but with the frame tied 10-10, Florida exploded on a 3-0 run. The Wildcats responded with a run of their own, taking the 17-14 advantage, but the Gators battled back to knot the set up at 17-all. The teams continued to trade points, with neither team pulling ahead more than one until Kentucky scored the final point of the match.
* The Gators hit .359 in the final set, led by seven kills from Victoria. Hall added four, while Kelley tallied three in the frame.
Notables
* Marlie Monserez recorded her 10th double-double of the year, finishing with 30 assists and 11 digs
* Florida has now finished in the Top-3 of the SEC in 35 of 38 seasons
* The Gators have recorded six-straight years finishing in the Top-3 of the league
* The Gators drop to 52-19 in the all-time series against the Wildcats, including a 50-12 record under Mary Wise
* Florida is now 36-10 against Kentucky in three-set matches
Up Next
* The Gators now await their fate for the NCAA Tournament
* The Selection Show airs Sunday at 8:30 p.m. on ESPNU
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