Graduating four starting All-Americans isn’t ideal for any team in any sport. Losing multiple senior leaders usually gives way to a follow-up year headed by confused underclassmen.
That is, unless the team in question is Florida volleyball.
The No. 7 Gators (1-1) finished their first tournament of the season in Lincoln, Nebraska, Saturday evening splitting matches with a four-set win against No. 2 Nebraska — the reigning national champions — and a five-set loss against No. 3 Texas.
It’s difficult to overlook the fact that former mainstays like Carli Snyder, Shainah Joseph, Rhamat Alhassan and Caroline Knop are not on the court this season.
However, the new squad, with seven new faces added to this season’s roster, seems to have adjusted just fine.
It might be a little premature to say just two games into the season, but the team that played Nebraska Friday night was a different Gators squad compared to the team that lost to Texas on Saturday.
Friday night’s squad was fresh and ready for revenge after losing the NCAA Championship Game to the same program just over eight months ago. But Saturday night’s team looked tired and was out-played by a well-oiled machine.
If Florida played every game like it did Friday night, it would have one hell of a season. If not, the team could be in for a long one.
Despite the unfamiliar look on the court, coach Mary Wise seems to have used her roster shrewdly enough to get the most out of her available players.
Unlike last season’s lineup, which ran a 5-1 system (one setter and five hitters), this year’s 6-2 rotation (six hitters and two setters) allows more flexibility and exposure on the offensive front.
Freshman outside hitter Thayer Hall stole the spotlight during the tournament, logging 20 kills on 60 swings in Friday’s contest against the Cornhuskers. She added another 21 kills and 59 swings on Saturday against the Longhorns.
No matter where she was on the court, Hall seemed to be an offensive option to help close out rallies and secure a point for the Gators. However, she also logged 15 errors, leading the team in that field in both outings.
Hall’s play is very similar to Snyder’s in her aggression and positive output on the court.
Sophomore Paige Hammons played the other left-side pin attacker. The hitter from Louisville, Kentucky, didn’t secure nearly as many kills (11) as Hall did (41). But her playing experience from last season will be beneficial moving forward.
Junior middle blocker Rachael Kramer had an off weekend, logging as many kills (14) as she did errors in both matches.
Opposite of Kramer was senior Taelor Kellum. The 6-foot-2 middle blocker had an impressive weekend logging 14 kills in two matches.
Kellum hasn’t seen much time on the court in her previous years at Florida, but she decided to stick with the program instead of transferring. Her work seems to have paid off in full with a starting position in the Gators lineup.
There is plenty of time to see how she will form her game over the next few matches, and Kellum’s approach should not be overlooked.
Redshirt sophomore Mia Sokolowski also had a good weekend, proving herself to be one of the most consistent players on the court after she made most of her attacks from the right-side pin.
UNC redshirt sophomore transfer Holly Carlton was opposite of Sokolowski for both matches. The 6-foot-7 left-handed attacker proved to be a critical weapon for the squad with some trick plays that were run out of middle front.
It’s hard to replace a powerhouse like Joseph, but together Sokolowski and Carlton could combine their talents to create the right mix to imitate a style of play similar to Joseph’s.
Redshirt senior Allie Monserez and freshman Marlie Monserez led the Gators offense by splitting the setter role for both matches.
The older sister was paired with more experienced players like Kramer, Sokolowski and Hammons while the younger sister was paired with fresh faces like Kellum, Carlton and Hall.
Together, the Monserez duo could be just the ticket for exposing the Gators’ offense to the best of their ability.
Allie Gregory took control of the back row from a defensive perspective, racking up 21 digs against Nebraska Friday night and 16 on Sunday against Texas.
Gregory did a good job of keeping most of her digs off the net and allowing the setters to run in-system plays, as well as controlling things from the service line. Gregory logged four aces over the weekend and three service errors.
Like her fellow All-Americans, Knop also had a demanding presence on the court, but Gregory appears to fit right into this style of play.
The Gators will return to the court again Friday night when they take on No. 10 Southern California at the O’Connell Center at 7.
You can follow Mari Faiello on Twitter @faiello_mari and contact her at mfaiello@alligator.org.
Coach Mary Wise has had to deal with high turnover on her roster from last year.
