The Gators finally won a fifth set.
Tied at 12-12 in the fifth, UF needed someone to step up and snap its 0-5 record in five-set matches this year to keep its season alive.
Sophomore middle blocker Rhamat Alhassan answered the call, throwing up her arms and blocking back-to-back Wisconsin attacks to give Florida the match point.
Then with the 6-foot-4 Alhassan looming in front of her, Badgers outside hitter Kelli Bates rifled the ball into the net, as the No. 11 seed Gators took down No. 6 seed Wisconsin 3-2 (25-17, 25-23, 19-25, 22-25, 15-12) to advance to the NCAA Tournament’s Elite Eight on Friday night in Austin, Texas.
Florida has now advanced to the Elite Eight for the second time in as many years.
Alhassan, who tallied seven blocks while racking up a career-high 24 kills, was a mainstay in UF’s offense all game long.
Florida dominated the first set with ease.
Backed by Alhassan’s seven kills and junior right-side hitter Alex Holston’s six kills, the Gators didn’t blink in set one, as they hit .583 with zero attack errors.
Holston and Alhassan combined for four kills to earn UF’s final four points and take set one 25-17.
The second set was a battle ultimately won by Florida.
After falling behind to a quick 5-1 deficit, the Gators played catch up for most of the set.
Down 19-14, UF began to chip away at the lead with two straight kills from Holston. The Olney, Maryland, native finished with 20 kills and a .528 mark.
A few points later, Florida made its surge.
With Wisconsin up 21-17, the Gators rallied off five straight points to take a 22-21 lead on an Alhassan kill.
The Badgers then took the lead after a UF service error and kill from Lauryn Gillis.
But Florida then took three straight points to win set two 25-23 when Alhassan pounded a kill and Wisconsin botched a set and an attack error.
Coach Mary Wise praised the play of Holston and Alhassan.
“The hitters delivered tonight,” Wise said in a release. “I think those that were here in person who watched it, Rhamat and Alex, 24 and 20 kills, they will go down in Florida volleyball history as one of the all-time best performances in a big match.”
After falling behind early, UF wasn’t able to rebound in the third set.
The Badgers gained separation once the score was tied at 8-8, going on a five-point swing in which Florida committed three attack errors — two from sophomore outside hitter Carli Snyder and one from senior middle blocker Simone Antwi.
The Gators couldn’t recover, as the Badgers took set three 25-19.
The fourth set followed a similar pattern for Florida.
Wisconsin slowly built up a 19-12 lead, but UF proved it wouldn’t go down without a fight.
A 9-3 run for the Gators cut the Badgers’ lead to one at 22-21, but Florida couldn’t keep up, as Wisconsin went on to take set four 25-22.
With no success in the fifth set this season, UF jumped out to an important 5-3 lead after a Nikki O’Rourke service ace and Holston kill.
Both teams then traded points until 12-12, when Alhassan helped finish the Badgers off, ending their season while extending Florida’s.
The Gators will next play No. 3-seeded Texas Saturday night at 9 in the Elite Eight. UF defeated UT 3-1 in Austin in its lone matchup this season on Sept. 5.
Follow Patrick Pinak on Twitter @Pinakk12
UF's Carli Snyder (left) and Rhamat Alhassan celebrate during Florida's 3-0 win against New Hampshire Dec. 3, 2015, in the O'Connell Center.
