VB: Gators Sweep Aggies

After splitting a road series against LSU last weekend, the Gators returned to the O’Connell Center Saturday and defeated Texas A&M in straight sets. The win improves Florida’s conference record to 6-2, which trails only No. 5 Kentucky (6-0) and No. 21 Tennessee (7-1).

Offensively, the Gators played their third most efficient matches this season in terms of hitting percentage (.438). In the opening set, Florida landed 19 kills on 29 attempts with only one error (.621).

Defensively, Florida held the Aggies to the third lowest hitting percentage of all its opponents this season (.095) after it forced 22 errors and yielded just 31 kills.

The Gators dominated around the net where they out-blocked the Aggies 9-1 courtesy of senior Thayer Hall’s pair of solo blocks. Hall fell just shy of her second consecutive double-double after she recorded 10 digs and eight kills.

Senior middle blockers Lauren Forte and Lauren Dooley produced efficient attacking outings. Forte landed nine kills on 14 attempts (.643) and Dooley landed seven kills on 11 attempts with one error (.545). Redshirt senior T’ara Ceasar was the only Gator with double-digit kills in the match (12 on 25 attempts with an error: .440)

Up two sets to none and leading by four points late in the third set, Florida locked in and won the next six points to clinch its ninth sweep victory already this season.

Box Score

Texas A&M: 12-19-15

No. 23 Florida: 25-25-25

Individual Stat Leaders

Aces

• Ceasar: 3
• Beason: 1

Kills

• Ceasar: 12
• Forte: 9
• Beason: 8

Assists

• Monserez: 34
• McKissock: 5
• Beason: 2

Digs

• McKissock: 15
• Hall: 10
• Beason: 6

Blocks

• Forte: 4
• Beason/Dooley: 3

Next Up

The Gators will hit the road for a pair of favorable conference matches this week. They’ll face Alabama in Tuscaloosa Wednesday before they take on last-place Mizzou in Columbia Saturday. The Crimson Tide are 1-5 in SEC play this season with their lone victory coming at Missouri, who is winless at home and 1-6 in conference action. Wednesday’s match versus Alabama will begin at 8 p.m. and air on ESPNU.