Sports | Volleyball - The Independent Florida Alligator

Sophomore outside hitter Thayer Hall was named the MVP of the Gators Invitational after notching a 33-kill weekend.

SPORTS | VOLLEYBALL

3 stars from the weekend

By Mari Faiello | Sep. 22, 2019

Florida’s weekend went as expected, coming out of the Gators Invitational with three wins.

Sophomore outside hitter Thayer Hall was named the MVP of the Gators Invitational this weekend.

SPORTS | VOLLEYBALL

Florida volleyball caps off Gators Invitational with sweep over Ragin’ Cajuns

By Mari Faiello | Sep. 21, 2019

You don’t have to go far to see the last time Florida nailed back-to-back-to-back sweeps over its opponents.

SPORTS | VOLLEYBALL

Gators sweep Liberty and Northern Arizona

By Brendan Farrell | Sep. 20, 2019

Sophomore Thayer Hall jumped up for the ball and fired a kill past Northern Arizona’s Abby Akin, Hall’s 13th kill of the evening.

Coach Mary Wise has led her team to a 5-2 season so far in 2019.

SPORTS | VOLLEYBALL

Florida set to host 3 teams in tournament this weekend

By Brendan Farrell | Sep. 20, 2019

The No. 11 Gators volleyball team is fresh off a dominating sweep of in-state rival No. 23 Florida State. Florida hosts this weekend’s Gator Invitational, where it will play Liberty, Northern Arizona and Louisiana-Lafayette. Here are some things to know about UF’s competition this weekend:

Marlie Monserez tallied 40 assists on Tuesday night.

SPORTS | VOLLEYBALL

Gators sweep Seminoles at home

By Mari Faiello | Sep. 18, 2019

Holly Carlton must have felt like she had the weight of the O’Dome on her shoulders after helping her team fight point after point in the second set, a frame the Gators trailed more than they led.

Redshirt junior middle blocker Darrielle King played an integral role in Florida’s sweep weekend at home against South Florida, James Madison and Long Beach State. The 6-foot-3 attacker notched a career-high 15 kills against the Beach and tallied 25 on the weekend. She will be one of Florida’s key players when the team takes on the Seminoles at 6 p.m. on Tuesday.

SPORTS | VOLLEYBALL

Takeaways from UF’s 3-0 weekend

By Brendan Farrell | Sep. 15, 2019

The Gators volleyball team (5-2) wrapped up a perfect 3-0 weekend on Saturday following a wild 3-2 win against Long Beach State. Here are two takeaways:

SPORTS | VOLLEYBALL

Gators outlast Long Beach State to complete 3-0 weekend

By Brendan Farrell | Sep. 14, 2019

Heads were hung and breaths were heavy as the Gators trailed Long Beach State 11-7 late in a pivotal fifth set.

SPORTS | VOLLEYBALL

Gators sweep doubleheader Friday

By Brendan Farrell | Sep. 14, 2019

The Gators approached the Honda of Gainesville Gators Invitational hoping to right the ship after getting swept in their two previous. They did so convincingly in Friday’s doubleheader, where they only dropped one set of seven against USF and James Madison. UF (4-2) will finish the invitational on Saturday with a match against Long Beach State (3-5) at 5 p.m.

Coach Mary Wise is not worried about her team's 2-2 record this early in the season.

SPORTS | VOLLEYBALL

Florida hosts trio of teams this weekend

By Brendan Farrell | Sep. 13, 2019

Matches against No. 1 Stanford and No. 8 Minnesota were supposed to be good tests for a Florida team trying to prove that it belonged in the national-title conversation.

Senior middle blocker Rachael Kramer said she'd like to stay another year if it meant she could play softball for coach Tim Walton.

SPORTS | VOLLEYBALL

Getting to know some UF stars

By Mari Faiello | Sep. 8, 2019

No. 7 Florida is only four games into the 2019 season, and there is still plenty to learn about the veteran-heavy group chasing the program’s first national title.

Thayer Hall led UF in kills against Minnesota.

SPORTS | VOLLEYBALL

Gators volleyball falls to No. 8 Minnesota in three sets

By Mari Faiello | Sep. 8, 2019

Florida volleyball walked into its match as the seventh-ranked team in the country, but the game itself told a different story: No. 8 Minnesota swept the Gators in the Golden Gophers’ home-opener Saturday night.

Redshirt junior Holly Carlton is in a three-way tie for second on the roster with 19 kills so far this season.

SPORTS | VOLLEYBALL

Florida prepares for No. 8 Golden Gophers

By Mari Faiello | Sep. 5, 2019

The No. 7 Gators won’t have much time to recover from their home-opener loss against No. 1 Stanford. Florida volleyball is back in action on the road against No. 8 Minnesota Saturday evening at 8.

Florida right side hitter Holly Carlton registered a team-high 10 kills in Wednesday's loss to Stanford.

SPORTS | VOLLEYBALL

Stanford sweeps Florida volleyball in home opener

By Mari Faiello | Sep. 4, 2019

It wasn’t disastrous, per se, but it certainly wasn’t pretty either.

SPORTS | VOLLEYBALL

Gators volleyball holds off Dayton Flyers in five-set nailbiter on the road

By Mari Faiello | Aug. 31, 2019

It took two sets and a must-win situation, but Florida’s volleyball team found its way to a five-set win over the Dayton Flyers Saturday night in Louisville, Kentucky, in nailbiter fashion.

Opposite/Setter Holly Carlton totaled six kills and five digs in Florida's sweep of Louisville.

SPORTS | VOLLEYBALL

Gators sweep Louisville to open 2019 season

By Brendan Farrell | Aug. 30, 2019

It was a game that Florida had been anticipating for eight months. The experienced, freshmen-less team could finally get its season underway.

Junior outside hitter Paige Hammons combined with sophomore outside hitter Thayer Hall for 555 kills last season.

SPORTS | VOLLEYBALL

Gators begin 2019 season with ranked matchup against Louisville

By Brendan Farrell | Aug. 29, 2019

Florida’s 10th-ranked volleyball team will start its 2019 season with a pair of games against No. 25 Louisville on Friday night and Dayton on Saturday at the Cardinal Classic in Louisville, Kentucky. Here’s what to watch for:

Sophomore setter Marlie Monserez is a big threat on the defensive front when it comes to plays at the net. Monserez tied for first on the roster in blocks during the exhibition match against UCF tallying five on the afternoon.

SPORTS | VOLLEYBALL

Gators volleyball: 3 takeaways from UF’s exhibition game

By Mari Faiello | Aug. 25, 2019

Saturday afternoon may have just been an exhibition match, but it gave Gator Nation a real glimpse at what could be in store for its volleyball team this year.

Middle blocker Darrielle King registered five kills and five blocks in Florida's exhibition victory over UCF.

SPORTS | VOLLEYBALL

Gators volleyball takes exhibition match over UCF 4-1

By Mari Faiello | Aug. 24, 2019

Darrielle King stood at the net with her knees bent and arms down by her sides. The middle blocker stared fiercely through the net toward her opponents as the ball crossed the net’s plane from her own baseline.

Redshirt junior opposite attacker Holly Carlton feels more comfortable with her role on the team with a year under her belt. She transferred to Florida from North Carolina last season.

SPORTS | VOLLEYBALL

Gators volleyball: 3 things to know coming off media day

By Mari Faiello | Aug. 22, 2019

Florida fans won’t have to wait long for the competition to heat up when it comes to Gators volleyball.

Senior middle blocker Rachael Kramer notched 267 kills last season, tying for first on the roster.

SPORTS | VOLLEYBALL

Chompin’ at the bit: Players to watch this weekend

By Mari Faiello | Aug. 20, 2019

The offseason finish line is finally in sight for Gators volleyball fans with just two days remaining until the team hits the court against UCF. It’s the first time Florida will compete since an early NCAA Tournament exit at BYU last season.