While many volleyball teams around the NCAA have already wrapped up their regular seasons, Florida’s players have one last test against South Carolina tonight in the O’Connell Center before they can enjoy a quick Thanksgiving break.
Then the Gators can get back to what they’ve been preparing for all year long — the postseason.
“We’re kind of excited,” freshman defensive specialist Holly Pole said. “It’s our last home game and whatnot and then we’ll all have Thanksgiving, but it’s definitely good that we get to play this one last game, where as a lot of teams around the country are already done. We’re just ready to get out there and give it our best effort.”
After sweeps of Georgia and Auburn at home last weekend, the Gators’ match against the Gamecocks will be the final step in their confidence-building finish before the NCAA Tournament.
And that’s exactly what coach Mary Wise had planned for this three-game stretch.
One last win against South Carolina will be important in determining Florida’s seed in postseason play.
“Our goal is just like [last] weekend,” Wise said. “Because neither of those teams would be regionally ranked, it was really important that we beat them, so we’re playing for a lot [tonight] besides it just being the regular end of the season.”
When the Gators traveled to South Carolina earlier this season, Florida’s 3-0 victory was one of the last before a shaky stretch of losses stripped UF of its chance to play for the Southeastern Conference title.
“We kind of let off the gas a little bit, especially that weekend at Kentucky and Tennessee, but since then we’ve really been playing a lot of 6-on-6 in the gym and competition drills and games,” Pole said. “I think it’s really helped us become a better competitive team.”
The Gators are now rolling on recent success and a revamped starting rotation.
Since those losses, both Pole and sophomore Chloe Mann have found their way into the Gators’ starting lineup.
Although Mann’s recent prowess at the middle blocker position has been an adjustment for Cassandra Anderson, who previously started in that role, Anderson has responded with nothing but praise for the new rotation, and Mann in particular.
“She always has a great attitude,” Anderson said.
“And to basically come off of not playing for however many matches and come out and ball out like that? We all love Chloe, and she has been playing great.”
Since sophomore middle blocker Chloe Mann (10) joined the Florida starting rotation, the team has won six straight matches.
