Freshmen Allie Gregory and Rachael Kramer had yet to face this sort of challenge.
A road match against a top-15 opponent. A hostile environment in the confines of Tallahassee’s Tully Gym.
First-year players aren’t supposed to remain calm and collected, especially during their first taste of a collegiate rivalry.
Gregory and Kramer did.
Appearing in all four sets of Wednesday night’s match against Florida State, the freshman pair powered the Gators to a 3-1 victory over the Seminoles.
Handed just the third start of her Florida career, Kramer, a 6-foot-8 middle blocker, justified head coach Mary Wise’s decision. Chipping in two kills and a block, the former Under Armour High School All-American immediately contributed during the Gators’ 27-25 first-set victory.
It didn’t stop there.
With Florida struggling to find separation early in the third set, Kramer came up big, blocking one shot and earning a kill on consecutive attacks to give the Gators a 15-13 edge. UF would go on to take the frame 25-22.
Throughout the night, Florida State couldn’t find an answer to Kramer’s presence.
A force in both aspects of the game, the Arizona native led her team in both hitting percentage (.615) and total blocks (eight).
And, while she came off the bench, Gregory was more than up to the task.
Charged with service duties, the 5-foot-6 defensive specialist kept the Seminoles on their toes, leading the Gators with two aces.
Gregory also showcased her defensive acumen, digging eight balls over four sets played.
Combined, Kramer and Gregory helped hold Florida State’s attack to a .207 hitting percentage while preventing the Seminoles from recording their first service ace until the decisive fourth set.
They might not have filled the stat sheet like some of their teammates — senior Alex Holston’s 15 kills once again led the Gators, while junior Carli Snyder was a kill removed from a double-double.
However, they showed their composure in what was arguably the Gators’ toughest road challenge to date.
Contact Alejandro López at alopez@alligator.org and follow him on Twitter @ajlb95.
UF coach Mary Wise (right) talks with FSU coach Chris Poole prior to Florida's 3-1 win on Sept. 20, 2015, in the O'Connell Center.
