Up 14-13 with the match on the line, Allie Monserez set up Florida's kill leader, Carli Snyder, to put away a dogfight between the Gators and the Razorbacks in Arkansas.
Snyder delivered. Florida won another SEC opener under coach Mary Wise.
Redshirt senior Pilar Victoria and Arkansas (11-3, 1-1 SEC) gave the Gators all they could handle in a back-and-forth 3-2 (25-22, 21-25, 25-16, 23-25, 15-13) thriller.
Every time it seemed like the Gators were going to pull away, the Razorbacks stormed back.
After dropping the first set, Arkansas used a late 7-2 run to take the second and even up the match.
A 5-1 advantage closing out the fourth set kept the Razorbacks alive with a 2-1 Gators lead forcing their back against the ropes.
But Arkansas’ magic ended at the hand of Snyder, whose 17th kill secured the final set and kept the Gators perfect record intact.
“This has been a place where Carli’s serve has loved her,” Florida coach Mary Wise said after the game. “We talked last night...be the senior that you are.”
Florida was able to offset a huge game by Victoria, who entered the contest leading the nation in kills and points.
“She’s the real deal,” Wise said.
Victoria had a match-high 30 kills, along with seven digs and a pair of service aces.
Snyder (17 kills, 14 digs, 4 blocks), Alhassan (20 kills, 6 blocks) and freshman Paige Hammons (11 kills, 9 digs) kept the Gators afloat as they struggled to pull away on the road.
Arkansas’ .253 hitting percentage was the best performance by a Gators opponent this season.
Florida was ranked sixth in the country in opponents’ hitting percentage heading into the match, holding eight teams to an average of just .123.
Sophomore Rachael Kramer and redshirt senior Shainah Joseph combined for 14 kills and 10 blocks, and senior Caroline Knop led all players with 23 digs.
Sophomore Reagan Robinson had 12 kills for Arkansas, and freshmen Hailey Dirrigl and Elizabeth Pamphile added seven kills apiece in the Razorbacks’ first home loss this season.
Florida is now 40-3 all time against Arkansas, and will have a chance to extend that lead when the teams meet again on Nov. 10 in Gainesville.
Next up for the Gators is a home date with Tennessee on Friday at 7:30.
A radio broadcast contributed to this report.
You can follow Andrew Huang on Twitter @AndrewJHuang, and contact him at ahuang@alligator.org.
Carli Snyder attempts a kill during Florida's 3-0 win against Florida A&M on Sept. 15 at the O'Connell Center.
