Twenty games into the 2016 Florida volleyball season, the No. 10 Gators are sitting comfortably in the Southeastern Conference standings.
With nine games remaining on the SEC schedule, Florida (18-2, 8-1 SEC) is third in the conference, trailing only Kentucky and Missouri.
UF and Missouri are the only remaining undefeated teams on the road, and UF is one of two SEC teams ranked, with the Wildcats currently standing at No. 22.
After a weekend in which the Gators didn’t drop a set, excellent play came in bunches.
Most impressive was the play of senior hitter Alex Holston.
“I don’t even want to think of Alex Holston graduating,” UF coach Mary Wise said Monday.
Holston had a strong weekend, starting with six kills and four block assists in a sweep of Mississippi State.
She followed that up with a 15-kill performance against Georgia, maintaining a .536 hitting percentage.
“She’s just having one of those elite-level years that you want to bottle,” Wise said, “because this season has gone by way too fast.”
Holston’s efficiency over the weekend was through the roof, as she became the first Florida player to gather 15 kills in 25 attempts while receiving no errors since Gator-great Kelly Murphy did it in 2010, Wise said.
But while her hitting has been a focal point for an offense that ranks second in the SEC in kills per set, her defensive capabilities are what set her apart.
In the two games, Holston took part in seven blocks, trailing only middle blocker Rhamat Alhassan for most blocks on the team.
Her ability to play sound defense and be a part of blocks as a hitter gives the Gators a versatile piece on the floor who can do nearly everything.
It also provides an example to younger players of what to do to affect all areas of the game.
“It’s always been our goal for the seniors to be playing their best volleyball in their final year,” Wise said. “It’s the crescendo. You’re trying to build for that.”
Now, Florida prepares for its two-game home stint, battling Ole Miss on Friday night and then LSU on Sunday afternoon.
Even with strong veteran play, Wise knows improvement never stops.
“How great teams separate themselves is how much better they can get from August to the end of the season,” she said.
“Our team has embraced that.”
Contact Skyler Lebron at slebron@alligator.org and follow him on Twitter @SkylerLebron.
UF right-side hitter Alex Holston (3) celebrates during Florida's 3-0 win against St. John's on Sept. 17, 2015, in the O'Connell Center.
