Volleyball - The Independent Florida Alligator

Redshirt junior opposite attacker Holly Carlton (right) and sophomore setter Marlie Monserez (left) combined for 46 assists on Saturday against the Texas A&M Aggies.

Sports

Florida takes down Texas A&M in 5-set matchup

By Mari Faiello | Oct. 13, 2019

A smooth start and a rocky middle left an uncertain result for Florida’s volleyball team Sunday afternoon.

Sports

Gators sweep Razorbacks for third SEC win

By Brendan Farrell | Oct. 11, 2019

It would have been easy to overlook the Razorbacks, especially after a heartbreaking five-set loss to conference forerunner Kentucky.

Courtesy of Alan (@loserpoints), Site Manager @RawCharge

Sports

What the numbers say about UF's offense

By Brendan Farrell | Oct. 10, 2019

What is the best way to evaluate offense in volleyball?

Outside hitter Thayer Hall led UF in kills (17) and attack errors (11) against Kentucky.

Sports

3 takeaways from UF's loss

By Brendan Farrell | Oct. 6, 2019

Sunday afternoon’s game against No. 15 Kentucky presented multiple opportunities for Florida’s volleyball team: To finally get a statement win. To take a stranglehold on the SEC early in conference play. And to prove that it could go on the road against a tough opponent and come out on top.

Sophomore Thayer Hall will go head-to-head against fellow outside hitter Leah Edmond, who leads Kentucky in kills (179).

Sports

Preview: Florida vs. UK

By Mari Faiello | Oct. 4, 2019

Heading into their third SEC matchup of the season, the No. 12 Gators (11-2, 2-0 SEC) will make their conference road debut against the 15th-ranked Wildcats on Sunday afternoon in Lexington, Kentucky.

Sports

Florida lacks consistency

By Mari Faiello | Sep. 30, 2019

For the second week in a row, Florida’s volleyball team ranks 12th in the nation, according to the most recent AVCA poll.

Redshirt junior opposite attacker Holly Carlton is second on Florida’s roster with 107 kills behind sophomore outside hitter Thayer Hall (169). Carlton played a major role on the blocking front in UF’s 3-1 win over Georgia on Sunday afternoon in the O’Connell Center and will be vital in UF’s match at Kentucky on Sunday.

Sports

Gators stay undefeated in conference play with Georgia win

By Mari Faiello | Sep. 29, 2019

Florida’s fate was practically etched on a tombstone Sunday afternoon, as it trailed Georgia 19-11 in the third set, having already lost the first frame.

Setter Marlie Monserez recorded 30 assists Friday night, the eighth time she's had at least that many this season.

Sports

Gators open SEC play with sweep against Auburn

By Brendan Farrell | Sep. 27, 2019

The saying goes that the beginning of conference play is like the beginning of a new season, that you’re starting with a clean slate.

Outside hitter Thayer Hall leads UF with 140 kills on the year.

Sports

Gators take on pair of SEC foes at home this weekend

By Brendan Farrell | Sep. 26, 2019

The Gators volleyball team begins SEC play this weekend at home with two matches in three days. It will face Auburn at 7 p.m. on Friday and Georgia at 1 p.m. on Sunday. Here’s what to know about Florida’s next two opponents:

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

Sports

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.