The Florida Gators may have been thousands of miles from Gainesville, but it felt like a home match for Carli Snyder.
Playing in front of over 40 family and friends in East Lansing, Michigan, Snyder led No. 7-ranked Florida en route to a 3-0 sweep over Michigan State at the Spartan Invitational.
“Not all players coming back home have responded as well,” head coach Mary Wise said post-game. “I didn’t even have to talk to Carli about trying not to do too much.”
If the junior hitter felt any pressure, her play didn’t betray it.
With 15 on the day, Snyder notched her fifth consecutive double-digit kill performance of the season, boosting her team-leading attack to 4.41 kills-per-set. She also chipped in five digs in another well-rounded effort.
“I think you can pick any match we’ve played this year and use that for her All-American submission,” Wise said.
“She’s just playing at such a high level.”
However, she wasn’t alone.
Despite attempting 10 fewer attacks than the Spartans, the Gators (4-1) clinched the match in convincing fashion, winning by an average margin of nine points. Alex Holston, Rhamat Alhassan and Morgyn Greer combined for 22 kills, while Caroline Knop contributed a pair of service aces and Allie Monserez added 31 of her team’s 36 assists.
UF’s defense stood tall as well — spearheaded by Taelor Kellum’s five blocks, the front line stifled MSU’s attack, holding it to a -.071 hitting percentage in the first set and a neutral zero in the second.
“How do you make a hitter uncomfortable? What are the shots that make them uncomfortable?” Wise said. “If you can take away what their go-to shot is and make them go to their secondary shot, then put your backcourt defense into those positions, you got a chance to dig those balls.”
Florida’s service-receive also played a key role in the victory, keeping a clean sheet against 2015 Big Ten ace-per-set leader Holly Toliver.
The Gators will have a week to prepare before traveling to Brooklyn for the Blackbird Invitational.
“After playing two matches last night...they were all exhausted,” Wise said. “But their attention to detail and following through, I am so pleased with where we are knowing it’s still so early.”
A radio broadcast contributed to this report.
Contact Alejandro López at alopez@alligator.org and follow him on Twitter @ajlb95.
UF outside hitter Carli Snyder racked up double-digit kills and eight digs in UF's four-set win over Texas A&M on Wednesday in the O'Connell Center.
