UF roundup: Volleyball team ranked No. 1

LEXINGTON, Ky. — For the third time in program history, Florida sits atop the American Volleyball Coaches Association Division I Top 25 Poll. The Gators, who were ranked No. 3 before an array of upsets last weekend, were last ranked No. 1 in 2010, and also garnered the nation’s top ranking in 1996.

This is the 14th all-time No. 1 ranking in program history. It is also the earliest Florida has risen to No. 1. The Gators boast a 27-2 all-time record as the No. 1-ranked team.

Back in 2010, the Gators climbed to the top spot on Oct. 11. They held that ranking for eight polls and won 15 consecutive matches before falling to Purdue in the NCAA Regional Semifinal, held in Austin, Texas.

In 1996, Florida nabbed the No. 1 ranking on Nov. 5 and held it for the next four polls. The team went on to win its next 12 matches and reached the NCAA semifinals, where Hawaii ended the streak.

These Gators are undefeated and off to their first 9-0 start since 2007, when they opened the year with 16 consecutive victories. Florida, James Madison, Miami and Towson are the only remaining undefeated teams.

WOMEN’S GOLF

Florida finishes third

NORMAN, Okla. — With the help of a seven-under back nine in round three of the Schooner Fall Classic, the Florida women’s golf team finished the event in third.

Florida had a near flawless final nine holes of the tournament with three Gators not having a single blemish on their scorecards.

Marta Perez on the day just had one blemish on hers, a bogey on No. 2. After that, she poured in six birdies to finish five-under par for the round catapulting her into the top 10 on the leaderboard.

For the second straight day, Addie Baggarly finished in red numbers helped by her first eagle of the season on the par-four fifth. She sunk two birdies on the back nine to card a 70 (-1) finishing T26th with teammate Taylor Tomlinson. Carlotta Ricolfi was just one shot back of Baggarly and Tomlinson finishing in a tie for 33rd as a one-under day moved her up the leaderboard.

MEN’S GOLF

Tosti, Zhang pace Gators

DALLAS, Texas. — Through 36-holes of the Trinity Forest Invitational, the Florida men’s golf team is still atop the leaderboard.

After posting a nine-under par round on day one, Florida dropped back one stroke to posting a 560 (-8) score through two rounds of play.

The Gator pairing of Alejandro Tosti and Andy Zhang also are still in contention on the individual leaderboard with both sitting inside the top 10 entering the final day of play.

Despite recording his first above par round of the season, Tosti is still tied for sixth at three-under par sitting just three back of co-leaders Brandon Mancheno of Auburn and Justin Suh of USC.

Tosti was as low as seven-under for the round after tallying a three-under front nine but, trouble on the back had him slip to one-over. Zhang carded a 71 (E) on the second day of competition as he still sits at two-under for the tournament and tied for eighth on the leaderboard.