The Official Website of the Southeastern Conference
The Official Website of the Southeastern Conference
NCAA WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP - SECOND ROUND

Florida ends season in tough five-set loss to FSU

2375 days ago
Florida Athletics

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- The 11th-seeded Gators (27-4, 16-2 SEC) won the first two sets before dropping a five-set thriller to Florida State in the NCAA Tournament Second Round on Saturday (Dec. 3) night, culminating in the program's earliest postseason exit since 2013.

Prior to Saturday, the Gators carried an all-time record of 23-3 in the NCAA Tournament Second Round, with their only losses coming in 1987, 2004, and 2013.

Three-time All-American Alex Holston, UF's lone senior, turned in yet another tremendous effort, logging 23 kills and 14 digs while hitting .354. It was Holston's third double-double of the year.

Holston, the 2014 SEC Player of the Year and four-time All-SEC Selection, left her mark all over UF's career record book. The Olney, Md. native caps her career ranked fifth in kills (1,506) and points (1,712), eighth in attacks (3,225), and ninth in kills per set (3.40).

The Gators also saw standout performances from two-time All-American middle blocker Rhamat Alhassan (12 kills, .370 clip, three blocks), junior All-SEC outside hitter Carli Snyder (18 kills, .317 clip, 17 digs), and Rachael Kramer (11 kills, .550 clip, five blocks).

Redshirt sophomore setter Allie Monserez's 66 assists tied the sixth-highest total ever recorded by a Gator in an NCAA Tournament match.

Florida took the first two sets with relative ease, winning 25-13 and 25-16. The Gators held a 23-21 lead in the third set before dropping the final four points. Florida State built a 10-2 lead in the fourth, a hole UF never found its way out of. UF took an 11-9 lead in the final set before dropping six of the final seven points in the match's closing stretch.