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With three players making their first career starts, and five others making their debut for the Gators, there was certainly the feel of a less-experienced team for Mary Wise’s side this past Friday in their 3 sets to 1 loss against top-ranked Nebraska. While a younger side could mean some struggles in the beginning, head coach Mary Wise believes it is only a matter of time before the team’s strengths really shine through.
The Gators were able to bounce back from their opening loss to the defending national champions with a 3 sets to 1 victory of their own against Oregon on Saturday to close out their 2016 VERT challenge appearance. Junior middle Rhamat Alhassan and senior right side Alex Holston led the way for the Gators, tying for a team-high 17.5 points.
#Gators move up three spots to No. 7 in this week's @AVCAVolleyball Poll! #GoGators https://t.co/GSfhcGlbbt
— Gators Volleyball (@GatorsVB) August 29, 2016
It seems that at least in the early part of the season, the Gators will need their more veteran players to lead the way while the younger players get settled in. Wise believes that the more the team is able to get real in-game experience, the better off they will be.
Next up for the Gators—the 2016 Spartan Invitational taking place this weekend. They are currently scheduled to take on Central Michigan and Morgan State on Saturday, before taking on hosts Michigan State on Sunday.
