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Friday, March 29, 2024

Otero’s Opinion: UF volleyball not utilizing back-row depth

<p>Holly Pole squats for a dig attempt during Florida's 3-0 win against Georgia.</p>

Holly Pole squats for a dig attempt during Florida's 3-0 win against Georgia.

Coming into the 2014 season, UF volleyball coach Mary Wise said Florida was looking to become more dominant on defense.

Now, however, I wouldn’t say Florida is completely dominating on the defensive end.

The Gators are 57th in the nation in blocks per set (2.43) and 301st in digs per set (12.38).

So why is Wise not rotating her defensive specialists around more to create a bigger defensive presence?

With three seniors – libero Holly Pole and defensive specialists Taylor Unroe and Maddy Monserez – the team is loaded with experience in the back row, so it’s understandable why those three receive most of the playing time.

However, even with all the experience that those three seniors provide, there are still three defensive specialists — Lindsey Rogers, Sam Dubiel and Nikki O’Rourke — that aren’t playing as much who are just as capable of playing at the level Unroe and Monserez are playing.

So why is Wise choosing to stick so closely to the seniors?

My editor posed this question to me the other day.

It’s a fair question. Human nature says that we want to know why we can’t see what these other players are capable of.

So, I’ll give you my slightly complicated response.

I think Wise has played the three seniors so much not just because they have a wealth of experience, but also because getting your freshmen prepared for collegiate volleyball is a big feat.

At the beginning of the season, freshmen outside hitter Carli Snyder and middle blocker Rhamat Alhassan continued to tell reporters how much faster the speed of the game is and they’ve both seen ample playing time.

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If it was fast for them and they’ve already appeared in the starting lineup, then how fast is it for defenders who are expected to be everywhere at all times?

Also, Dubiel – the defensive specialist that Wise has said is the best float server she’s ever seen – has been recovering from a strained abdominal muscle; understandably she’s only played in a total of two sets because of it.

To add, it was incredibly useful to hold Dubiel out as long as Wise did because once she did debut, her float serve during Florida’s match against Texas A&M — the only ranked Southeastern Conference opponent Florida has faced yet.

And O’Rourke has recently started wearing a knee brace. She’s said to have tweaked her knee, so the brace makes sense.

But this can also affect Wise’s game plan for next season.

With Pole leaving, O’Rourke — the only defensive specialist returning next season who is not a freshman — is likely to assume the libero position.

If O’Rourke is facing knee problems, the trainers and Wise will be looking to keep her rested so their program doesn’t lose it’s future libero to some knee injury that could take a year to two to fix.

While O’Rourke is taking it easy, it’s important to note the role she played on Florida’s defense in 2013.

The then-sophomore competed in 76 sets and 28 matches. She finished the season with 18 service aces and 1.82 digs per set — a higher mark than Monserez averaged in 2013 (1.53).

But we’re still missing freshman defensive specialist – and former outside hitter for her club team – Rogers.

My only thought is that she was an outside hitter before coming to Florida therefore Wise feels she needs a little more work before throwing her into a match.

Of the freshman, Rogers is the one that has been talked about least, but is still referred to as a big puzzle piece for next season’s squad.

With no explanation for why Rogers isn’t playing other than inexperience in not just the position but also in collegiate volleyball, I will leave you with these last words:

Just trust Wise because as history shows, she knows best.

Follow Eden Otero on Twitter @EdenOtero_l

Holly Pole squats for a dig attempt during Florida's 3-0 win against Georgia.

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