A constant fixture on Florida’s starting line-up was missing Thursday when Florida started ita postseason play against Jacksonville in the O’Connell Center. Sophomore outside hitter Gabby Mallette was not only missing from the line-up, but she was also missing from the bench and seemingly the arena.
“Just for health reasons we held her out tonight, fully expect her to be back tomorrow,” Wise said.
Wise would only confirm that this decision was a result of something that happened in practice.
Even with Mallette missing in action, the Gators managed to sweep the Dolphins (25-19, 25-15, 25-16). It may have been the first time the two teams have met in an NCAA tourney but in the 16 times the Gators have faced the Dolphins, Florida’s never lost.
UF advances to face FSU on Friday at 7 p.m. in the O’Connell Center for the second round of NCAA Regional Tournament play.
The Gators, who hold a No. 5 seeded in the tournament, started on a not-so-high note. Florida trailed Jacksonville for the first half of the first set. In the first set the score was tied six timed and the lead changed three times.
“I felt that it wasn’t so much that we were playing so poorly, they were passing great,” Wise said of her team’s slow start.
A change of tune in the second set held the Dolphins scoreless until 6-1.
“They put up a good defensive effort,” Chloe Mann said. “As the match wore on we got into more of a flow offensively. Our passers did a better job putting up good balls for Taylor…”
In Mallette’s absence, sophomore outside hitter Naomi Santos-Lamb stepped up to the task at hand.
“I thought Naomi did a terrific job,” Wise said. “Look at her numbers. I mean she had only one hitting error and that was an out of system ball…she looked like a veteran out there and although she hasn’t played much this year there’s an experience that she brings just being in our gym.”
The last and only time Santos-Lamb has started a game with the Gators this season was during Sept. 14’s home sweep of Iona. Nonetheless, she notched the second highest hitting percentage with .667. Senior and NCAA all-time hitting percentage leader, Mann claimed her usual position at the top with a clip of .700 and only one attack error.
“We’re taking it one game at a time and so this is one of hopefully six matches that we’re going to play,” Mann said.
With Mallette, who has started 17 out of 30 matches this season, missing, Simone Antwi spoke of the team effort to step up to the block.
“Just with Naomi being there you just have to communicate a little more,” Antwi said. “Naomi’s been in the gym so she knows everything but it’s just making everybody more comfortable out there so just talking about what’s on the other side of the net, what we need to do.”
The Gators had seven team blocks and three individual compared to Jacksonville’s one team block and zero individual blocks.
“They take a lot out of you, they take a lot out of your ball control, take a lot out of your hitters,” Jacksonville coach Michelle Collier said. “That’s just what Florida does to their opponents.”
Florida will look to sweep its next opponent, Florida State, in UF’s final home match of the year and the second of a possible six matches needed to secure the allusive NCAA Championship Title.
Even though UF swept FSU at home this season on Sept. 17, the Gators aren’t going into Friday’s match too comfortably.
“Florida State is always a battle,” Antwi said. “We’re going to watch film, break them down and play them just like we’ve always played them hard.”
Follow Erica A. Hernandez on Twitter @EricaAlyssa.
Redshirt senior middle blocker Chloe Mann swings at the ball set to her by senior setter Taylor Brauneis during Florida’s 3-0 victory against Jacksonville on Thursday in the O’Connell Center. Mann had a team-high 15 kills against the Dolphins.
Redshirt sophomore outside hitter Naomi Santos-Lamb (right) blocks an attack from Jacksonville’s Gabriela Roman during Florida’s 3-0 victory on Thursday in the O'Connell Center. The Gators had 11 total blocks during their victory against the Dolphins.
