No. 9 Florida has been one of the most dominant teams in the Southeastern Conference this season.
Out of their four SEC wins, the Gators (14-2, 4-1 SEC) have dropped just two sets — 3-1 victories over Ole Miss and Tennessee.
On the year, the Gators, who travel to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to face the LSU Tigers on Friday, have swept nine of their opponents.
But it isn’t enough.
The focus remains not on the present, but on what awaits the team in December.
“I think that’s a good thing when you look at the results,” UF outside hitter Shainah Joseph said, “but I think what’s most important to look at is if we’re doing the things that we need to do to get ready for the NCAA Tournament.”
So far, they are — on offense and on defense.
Through much of the season, Florida has been a dual-threat team, shutting down opponents with both superior offensive skill and physical defense.
On the offensive side, the Gators’ .332 hitting percentage ranks them first in the SEC.
In addition, their 13.35 assists per set and 14.19 kills per set rank first and second in the conference, respectively.
Much of that can be attributed to the play of hitters Alex Holston and Carli Snyder.
Holston leads the team with 198 kills. Snyder is not far behind, tallying 193 kills on the year.
On the other side, Florida’s defense has been a nightmare for opposing offenses.
Led by lengthy middle blockers Rhamat Alhassan and Rachael Kramer in the frontcourt and the high-energy libero Caroline Knop in the back row, the Gators possess one of the most physical defenses in the country.
Florida leads the SEC in blocks per set (2.91) and is ranked second in opponent hitting percentage (.166).
Alhassan, who averages 1.4 blocks per set, and Kramer, who averages 1.26 blocks per set, rank in the top four in the conference in the category.
“They are some tall glasses of water,” Snyder said of the 6-foot-4 and 6-foot-8 middle blockers. “Just the intimidation factor alone … they are so tall, which is really scary for other teams.”
However, Florida's early focus on the NCAA Tournament, Snyder said the team is still ready for the teams it has to face in the present.
“We have to do our part on serving, defense to show how good of a defensive team we are,” she said.
Contact Ray Boone at rboone@alligator.org and follow him on Twitter @rboone1994.
UF coach Mary Wise talks with her players during Florida's 3-1 win over Marshall on Sept. 17, 2016, in the Lemerand Athletic Center.
