Strong day behind the service line boosts Gators over Rebels
OXFORD, Miss. – The 10th-ranked Florida volleyball team completed its series with a three-set win over the Ole Miss Rebels on Saturday afternoon.
The Gators improve to 8-2 in the 2020-21 campaign, while Ole Miss drops to 0-8 on the year.
Florida won the first two sets handily, defeating the Rebels 25-16 in both frames, then closed out the match with a 25-19 victory in the third.
The real difference maker in the match was the dominant serving performances by the entire squad, with Florida racking up a total of 14 service aces. That mark is the third-highest program total for a three-set match during the rally scoring era.
Thayer Hall led the way with four service aces – just one shy of her career-high. Five other Gators each posted two aces in the match: Holly Carlton, T’ara Ceasar, Paula Cerame, Lauren Dooley and Paige Hammons.
Florida once again had a very balanced offensive attack, led by 11 kills from Ceasar. Hall followed with eight, while Carlton and Lauren Forte registered six and five kills, respectively.
Marlie Monserez dished out 28 assists in the victory, while also adding two kills on a .500 clip.
The Gators held Ole Miss to a .138 clip on the afternoon, including a .040 percentage in the first set. Lauren Dooley and Monserez each tallied a team-best two blocks in the match.
Cerame led the way in the backcourt, registering a team-high eight digs. Ceasar added seven of her own, while Monserez and Hall each pitched in six digs on the afternoon.
The Gators return to the court on Feb. 6 when the squad returns to Exactech Arena for a two-match series with the 17th-ranked Missouri Tigers.
Records
No. 10 Florida (8-2, 8-2 SEC)
Ole Miss (0-8, 0-8 SEC)
How It Happened
* The Gators jumped out to a quick 6-2 lead over the Rebels, thanks in part to two service aces from Dooley. Ole Miss pulled to within two at the 6-4 mark, but Florida opened up a 10-3 run to take a commanding 16-7 lead. The Gators continued to hold the Rebels at a distance, going up 12 points at 21-9. The Rebels cut Florida’s lead to eight at 24-16, but the Gators capitalized on an Ole Miss error to go up 1-0 in the match.
* Florida held Ole Miss to a .040 clip in the first set and the Gators’ offense was led by four kills from Hall. Ceasar and Carlton each pitched in two kills of their own in the frame.
* Florida once again found itself out to the early lead in the second frame, going up 10-6 over the Rebels. Ole Miss would pull to within one at the 12-11 mark, but Florida went on an 8-2 run to fully take control of the set at 20-13. The Gators closed out the frame with a 5-3 run, going up 2-0 in the match.
* Ceasar posted four kills in the set, while Hall added three of her own.
* The two squads found themselves tied early at 5-5, but the Gators began to edge ahead thanks to an offensive burst, taking the 15-11 lead into the media timeout. Out of the break the Rebels pulled to within striking distance at 16-13, but Florida continued to keep them at bay, taking advantage of a total of 11 Ole Miss errors to clinch the set by a score of 25-19.
* The Gators hit .357 in the final frame, led by five kills apiece from Ceasar and Forte.
Notables
* In the rally-scoring era, the 14 aces are the third-most in a three-set match in program history
* The last time the Gators registered more than 10 aces in a match was Nov. 18, 2018 against Georgia (10)
* Dooley recorded a career-high two service aces in the match
* Cerame’s two service aces tie her career-best mark
* Hammons registered two service aces in the match, putting her just 19 aces away from breaking into the Top-10 in program history (currently sits at 108)
* The Gators are now 54-3 against the Rebels in series history, including an undefeated record of 48-0 under the helm of Mary Wise
* Florida moves to 45-0 in three-set matches against Ole Miss
* Gators are now 27-3 against the Rebels in Oxford, Miss.
* Florida improves to 7-0 in three-set matches during the 2020-21 campaign
Thoughts from Coach Wise
* “Much of this match was determined behind the service line. Our serves gave us lots of opportunities to score.”
Up Next
* The Gators open the home portion of their spring schedule with a two-match series against No. 17 Missouri on Feb. 6 and 7
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