UF roundup: Wise wins 900th at Florida, soccer team falls again
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Volleyball coach Mary Wise claimed her 900th victory at the University of Florida with Saturday's sweep of UC Davis at the Hornet Invitational.
Wise is just the second female coach in Division I history to reach 900 wins at a single school and sits at 981 wins in her career overall.
“With these preseason matches, the test is quick turnarounds with little prep," Wise said. "UC Davis played very well and it was a great opportunity for us to get better.”
It was sixth-ranked Florida's (3-0) second sweep in as many matches after topping UC Davis (0-2) in straight sets. Florida won a tight battle in the first set, taking the frame 25-21, then followed with a statement 25-11 victory in the second. The Gators closed out the match with a 25-18 win in the final set.
The Gators closed out the Hornet Invitational with a sweep of host Sacramento State later Saturday.
Thayer Hall led the offensive attack for the Gators, posting 11 kills on the morning. Merritt Beason followed with nine kills, while T’ara Ceasar and Marlie Monserez posted seven apiece.
Middle blockers Lauren Forte and Lauren Dooley each added five kills. Marlie Monserez led the Gators to a .352 clip in the match, dishing out 29 assists.
Florida was dominate at the net, posting 10.0 blocks. Forte registered a team-high eight blocks, a Florida career-best for the redshirt senior. Ceasar added three blocks, while Beason posted two from the right side.
Elli McKissock recorded nine digs to lead the backcourt defense, followed by eight apiece from Monserez and Hall.
In the nightcap, Florida controlled the first set from the jump, winning 25-14, then followed with a 25-17 victory in the second frame. UF was able to close out match and the tournament with 25-20 win in the third set.
The Gators’ offensive attack was led by outside hitters T’ara Ceasar and Thayer Hall, who registered 12 and 10 kills, respectively. Lauren Forte posted seven kills on just 11 swings with no errors for a .636 clip.
Merritt Beason and Marlie Monserez each recorded four kills in the match, while Lauren Dooley added three kills on a .750 clip. Monserez captained the Florida offense to a .413 hitting efficiency, dishing out 32 assists.
For the second time in the tournament, the Gators held their opponent to below a .100 clip – holding the Hornets to just a .098 hitting efficiency on the night.
Elli McKissock paced the backcourt with 15 digs, while Beason and Monserez both posted eight in the match. That marks a season-best for the freshman Beason. Ceasar recorded seven digs of her own in the three-setter.
The Gators are back in action Tuesday when the squad travels for a matchup against No. 21 Stanford. The match is slated for 8 p.m. ET and will air on the Pac-12 Networks.
Note: There is only one other active Division I head coach that has crossed the 900-win threshold at one school (Russ Rose, Penn State). ... In NCAA Division I history, Russ Rose (Penn State), Dave Shoji (Hawaii), Andy Banachowski (UCLA) and Karen Chisum (Texas State) are the only four coaches to achieve 900 wins at a single institution.
SOCCER
Florida dropped to 0-3-1 after losing at home to Miami (3-1) when the Hurricanes scored in extra time Sunday. Taylor Shell scored at 99:41 to end the match.
The Gators next play at No. 1 FSU at 7 p.m. Thursday.