Five players scored double-digit points for Florida Sunday in its second-to-last regular-season match as the sixth ranked Gators topped Arkansas 3-1 to rack up the program’s 18th consecutive victory.
Junior outside hitter Gabby Mallette notched a season high 13 kills to pace the Orange and Blue (23-3, 17-0 SEC), and four other Gators had eight kills or more in Florida’s balanced effort.
Freshman Carli Snyder registered 11 slams, her best output in SEC play, while sophomore Alex Holston (9), freshman Rhamat Alhassan (8) and junior Simone Antwi (8) followed in suit. Junior setter Mackenzie Dagostino also put down a season-tying five kills to aid UF’s efforts.
After a battle in the first set in favor of Arkansas (14-15, 8-8 SEC), 27-25, the SEC champion Gators evened things up with a 25-12 push in the second to head to the locker room tied at the break.
Florida used 25-20 and 25-19 performances in the third and fourth to close out the Sunday afternoon affair.
UF posted double-digit blocks for the third straight match with 11 Sunday to Arkansas’ eight, and the Orange and Blue out-hit the Razorbacks .300 to .083, the third-lowest for a SEC opponent this season and the 19th match on the campaign that Florida has held its opposition to a .197 efficiency or lower.
The Gators also served up seven aces to the Razorbacks’ one.
Florida’s senior class accounted for 27 digs Sunday, led by Maddy Monserez’s 10, while Holly Pole and Taylor Unroe had nine and eight digs, respectively. Holston additionally had eight digs, her second-most in SEC play.
Up next, Florida will honor its three seniors, Maddy Monserez, Holly Pole and Taylor Unroe Wednesday evening, November 26th, prior to the Gators’ regular-season finale against South Carolina (17-12, 7-9 SEC) on Thanksgiving Eve. First serve is slated for 7 p.m.
You can catch the call on ESPN 850 WRUF.