A transfer and a walk-on lead their team to a four-set win.
And no, that’s not the beginning of a joke.
Senior libero Holly Pole and junior setter Mackenzie Dagostino created the momentum and plays to bring No. 7 Florida (6-3) to a 3-1 win on Sunday against Central Florida (7-5) after a 3-2 loss to Marquette (7-3) on Friday.
"Around the country this match won’t get as much attention as either of the wins did last weekend, but in our program, how huge this win was (for us)," coach Mary Wise said. "The preconference season UCF played, the people they’ve beaten."
Dagostino had another record-breaking day after passing her career assists record with 58. Her work on assists kept UF in the game against a hard-hitting UCF team.
"When a team hits .350, your setters doing some good stuff," Wise said.
The Tampa native also added three kills and two service aces on the day.
Assisting Dagostino in a dominant day was Pole, who tied her career record for digs in a match (20) and also had two service aces.
Wise said both Dagostino and Pole performed well leading the team from its loss on Friday to the win on Sunday.
"Holly and Mack are very different personalities, but they are the stabilizers for us, we know what we’re going to get from them," Wise said. "Holly, her dig numbers, her passing number, her two aces, she’s contributing in multiple ways. Mackenzie, she just makes plays that you combine her foot speed and her effort that allows her to make some elite plays out there."
Pole’s efficiency came from being moved from backcourt to mid court more often.
The libero had little production on the defense Friday night and found that the change in movement on the court helped her play better defensively.
"It was a lot more moving me around," Pole said. "I played some middle back, some left back, so (I was) just trying to be in the right spot and making plays from there."
The Ocala native has played in the libero position since Florida faced Oklahoma on Aug. 30. She started against the Sooners behind senior Taylor Unroe as a defensive specialist, and came back onto the court after halftime with the libero jersey on.
She hasn’t given up the position since.
Coming off of a big win against UCF will be useful for Florida going into Southeastern Conference play, Wise said.
Starting Friday, Florida starts SEC play against unranked Auburn.
Follow Eden Otero on Twitter @edenotero_l
Mackenzie Dagostino (6) sets the ball during Florida's 3-0 win against Idaho on Aug. 30 in the O'Connell Center
