Paige Hammons stood with her knees bent and at the ready as Auburn’s Mica Allison sent a float-style serve over the net.
There’s a lot you can do on a 5.5-hour bus ride to Auburn, Alabama. You could read a short novel. You could catch up on missed sleep. You might be able to finish half a game of “Monopoly.”
A 9-year-old Holly Carlton followed her older sister, Kayla, to their quiet backyard in the Eastern Loudoun subdivision in Sterling, Virginia, with a volleyball in hand. The two went to a portion of their backyard that was fenced off for a makeshift volleyball court.
Paige Hammons lined up for a serve in the second set donning her bright, highlighter orange headband and smacking her gum as she had done every match previous. Her serve slapped the tape of the net, but it crept over the side and fell just out of reach of three Arkansas defenders, causing them to look up in the rafters of the O’Connell Center and wish they were as fortunate.
Kentucky’s Brook Morgan fired a serve over the net in the third set that came careening down right between Florida’s Paige Hammons and Allie Gregory.
A little over a year ago Florida’s volleyball players took the court at the O’Connell Center with a calm and humble demeanor in a Sunday afternoon matchup against the Kentucky Wildcats. They carried their undefeated record onto the floor with a solemn sense of duty.
Sophomore outside hitter Paige Hammons stood waiting on a serve from Mississippi State’s side of the court at match point.
Right-side attacker Holly Carlton quickly transitioned back behind her setter and the 10-foot line after coming down from a block on the right-side pin.
The last time the Gators swept a conference rival was about two weeks ago in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
The rally lasted for what seemed like days. Diving digs, huge swings and balls hitting off the low ceiling of the Volleyball Competition Center in Columbus, South Carolina. And it all ended with outside hitter Paige Hammons.
The rally lasted for what seemed like days. Diving digs, huge swings and balls hitting off the low ceiling of the Volleyball Competition Center in Columbus, South Carolina. And it all ended with outside hitter Paige Hammons.
The No. 11 Florida volleyball team puts its undefeated SEC record on the line tonight in Columbia, South Carolina, when it takes on the Gamecocks at 7.
Freshman Thayer Hall stared intensely through the net at Georgia’s side of the court with her hands behind her back.
It was another long rally. A powerful hit by Texas A&M’s Hollann Hans was dug up by libero Allie Gregory.
Arriving at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri, last December was a special moment for Dorman High School coach Paula Kirkland and then-senior outside hitter Thayer Hall.
Freshman Thayer Hall and junior Rachael Kramer jumped up simultaneously in the final rally of the match, rejecting yet another Alabama strike. Florida’s front row held firm from the continuous attacks from the Crimson Tide, who were trying to win its first set over Florida since 2008.
Right-side attacker Holly Carlton stood against the net as Florida waited on a serve from LSU tied 21-all in the first set.
The No. 11 Florida volleyball team travels to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to play LSU today at 8 p.m.
Middle blocker Taelor Kellum panicked after a bad set of plays Sunday afternoon during the Gators’ matchup against Mississippi State.
Libero Allie Gregory lined up for her serve, standing so far away from the net that the heels of her scuffed white shoes seemed to touch the press table. She shot a high-arching serve that landed for another service ace and gave the Gators an 18-9 lead in the third set.
Solutions by The State News
