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The Gators volleyball team moves to 8-3 in the SEC after defeating the Gamecocks Friday night in Columbia. Florida swept South Carolina is three sets; 25-22, 25-14, and 25-21. Unfortunately for South Carolina, the Gamecocks were without two of there key middle blockers, Darian Dozier and Jacqy Angermiller. Florida coach Mary Wise says despite not having those key players, the Gamecocks were a tough match-up for the Gators back row.
“Our back row play was glaringly weak tonight. So, we’re going to go back to practice [today] and see if we can’t rev it up. We don’t need to be just the elite offensive team. To be a great team you have got to be able to play both front row and back row and [yesterday] I think we left our back row in the hotel.”
Defensively, the Gators had 41 digs on the night; Florida libero Nikki O’Rourke had only ten. The offense stepped up when the defense did not and Wise says South Carolina “played very unconventionally.” Wise says, “…for the most part we didn’t respond too well to that. Fortunately, our offense kind of saved us because we really struggled defensively and all team effort there.”
The Gators ended the match with 47 kills total; Florida middle blocker Rhamat Alhassan and outside hitter Alex Holston lead the team with 11 each and outside hitter Carli Snyder totaled ten. Now being 16-4 overall, next match-up for the Gators will be Sunday in Athens against the Bulldogs. That game will begin at 1:30 PM and you can hear live coverage at 1:20 PM on ESPN Gainesville 95.3 FM.
