Nov. 4, 1999
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky volleyball team will get a rematch with the No. 4team in the country this weekend when the Cats travel to play the Florida LadyGators on Sunday. The Cats will first have to get by the Rattlerettes ofFlorida A & M when the two teams meet in Tallahassee on Friday.
Kentucky (12-11, 5-6 Southeastern) split a home-and-home series lastweekend with the University of Tennessee.With a good defensive showing against the two Florida teams, UK senior KatieEiserman could become the school?s all-time dig leader this weekend. She entersthe weekend 17 digs shy of the all-time UK record of 1,139, set by Ann Hall>from 1989-93.
Florida (21-2, 12-0 SEC) is rolling through its SEC schedule with winsin its first 12 conference matches. UF has won 17 straight matches overall.UF?s only losses this season have come at the hands of volleyball powerhouses,No. 3 Pacific and No. 13 Nebraska. The Lady Gators are led by two-time All-SECand 1998 SEC Player of the year Jenny Manz. Heather Wright and Jennifer Sanchezare also stalwarts for UF. Winners of the last eight SEC regular season titles,Florida began this year ranked No. 8 and has moved up four spots after winning21 of its first 23 matches.
Florida holds an 18-9 edge in the all-time series with Kentucky. TheLady Gators have beaten the Cats 16 straight times since 1991. After winningthe first three match-ups, UK has not beaten UF since Nov. 10, 1990. UK hasnever played Florida A & M in volleyball.Florida A & M is leading the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference this season with aperfect 6-0 conference record and have won two straight matches and six of itslast seven. Earlier this year, FAMU (17-5, 6-0 MEAC) had an 11 match winningstreak. The Rattlerettes are led by Reneeka Gause whose 347 kills and 4.63 pergame average lead the team. Defensively, FAMU is led by Jessica Sattler with179 digs (2.39 pg) and Anisha Nicholson who is 2nd with 171 digs (2.31 pg).Gause is the lone FAMU player averaging more than one block per game as her 99give her 1.32 per game.
