FSU volleyball travels to Florida for top-20 showdown on Tuesday

[Bob Ferrante]

FSU sports information:

The No. 18 Florida State volleyball team (7-1) will take the big stage on Tuesday night as they head to Gainesville to face the No. 16 Florida Gators (6-2) on Tuesday night. First serve is set for 7 p.m. at Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center in Gainesville. The game can be seen live on ESPN with Paul Sunderland and Missy Whittemore on the call.

Noles Take Center Stage in Rivalry Match Against the Gators

• It is always a big-time matchup when the Seminoles and Gators get together, but the stakes will be even higher on Tuesday night.
• Tuesday will be just the 13th time in 77 matches that both teams will be ranked, and it will be the first time since 2016 that both teams are ranked in the top 20.
• FSU will be looking to beat Florida in Gainesville for the first time since 2016. 2016 also marked the only season that FSU has beaten a ranked Florida squad in Gainesville.
• The Noles are also looking for its first road win over a top 25 team since Oct. 15, 2021, when they beat No. 11 Miami in Coral Gables.
• Tuesday night will be just the second time that FSU will have appeared on ESPN.

Noles Off to Hot start

• FSU is off and running so far in 2024 as they look to defend its ACC Championship.
• FSU started 4-0 for the first time since 2017 including a win over No. 25 Georgia for their first ranked non-conference win since 2021.
• FSU opened up the season at home for the first time since 2011 and went 3-0 against USF, UC Santa Barbara and No. 25 Georgia. Both Georgia and UC Santa Barbara qualified for the 2023 NCAA Tournament while USF finished 22-12 last season.

Not Slowing Down on Offense

• FSU has proven to be one of the top offenses in the ACC and the country so far this season.
• As a team, FSU ranks in top 25 in kills per set, assists per set and hitting percentage.
• The Seminoles have been spreading the wealth as they have three players who have recorded 75 or more kills this season and four players who have recorded 60 or more kills this season.

Climbing the Ranks

• FSU was ranked No. 18 in this week's AVCA/TARAFLEX Coaches Poll. The Noles were ranked 17th two weeks ago which was the program's highest ranking since 2017.
• FSU opened the season ranked 20th in the preseason poll. It was the first time FSU was ranked to start the season since 2017.
• FSU picked up a ranked win against No. 25 Georgia. It was FSU's 41st ranked win in program history and was the first time FSU beat a ranked non conference opponent since defeating No. 14 Florida in 2021.

SHE'S BAAAACCCKKKKK

• The reigning 2023 ACC Co-Player of the Year Audrey Koenig is back for one last season with the Seminoles and will look to solidify herself as one of the top players in FSU history.
• Koenig was just the fourth Seminole to win the ACC Player of the Year award and was the first Nole to accomplish the feat since Payton Caffrey in 2018.
• Koenig leads the team with 85 kills through eight matches and is averaging 3.40 kills per set.
• Koenig has recorded 10 or more kills in her last five matches.
• Koenig also leads the team with 67 digs.
• Koenig also earned 2023 AVCA All-America Honorable Mention honors for the first time in her career.
• Koenig's 13 double-doubles last season were the 13th-most in FSU history.
• Koenig has recorded 1,052 kills during her career with the Garnet and Gold. Koenig became just the sixth player in FSU history to surpass 1,000 career kills in the rally scoring era. Her 1,042 kills is the fifth-best mark in school history. Koenig needs 25 kills to move into fourth. Koenig also ranks second all-time in the rally scoring era with 2,841 attacks.

Louis Coming Off Her Best Season as a Nole

• FSU senior and Tallahassee native Khori Louis put together her best season as a Seminole in 2023 as she earned First Team All-ACC honors and AVCA All-America Honorable Mention for the first time in her career.
• Louis hit a career-high .432 in 2023 which ranked fourth in the nation and was the fifth-best mark in school history and the best mark since Sareea Freeman in 2012.
• Louis has picked up right where she left off as she is hitting .455 with 84 kills to go along with 34 blocks.
• Louis holds a career hitting percentage of .374 which is currently the best mark in FSU history.
• Louis was second on the team with 271 kills and 93 blocks in 2023.
• In her career, Louis has recorded 841 kills which is 11th in program history in the rally scoring era. Louis needs just 16 kills to crack the top 10 list.
• Louis also ranks top 15 in program history in the rally scoring era in solo blocks, assisted blocks and total blocks.

Noles Make Transfer Splash with Taylor Head

• The Seminoles made one of the biggest transfer moves in college volleyball last season as they picked up transfer Taylor Head from Arkansas. Head will have one season with the Seminoles after three seasons with Arkansas.
• Head was one of the best hitters not only in the SEC but the entire country last season as she picked up AVCA Third Team All-America honors after recording 494 kills with a .231 hitting percentage for a Razorback team that qualified for the Elite Eight.
• Head is currently second on the team with 66 digs and is third on the team with 76 kills.
• Head was one of the best all-around players in the country last season as she was third in the entire nation with 22 double-doubles.
• Head ranked in the top 10 in the SEC in total kills, kills per set, total attacks, attacks per set, double-doubles, points and total digs.
• Last season, Head would've led the ACC in total kills, points, double doubles and total attacks. Head also would've ranked in the top five in kills per set, attacks per set and points per set.
• Head spent her spring with the Florida State beach volleyball team where she finished the season with a 8-2 record.

Dupes Ready To Get Back on the Court

• After a knee injury kept her off the court in 2023, libero Emery Dupes is ready to become a force for the Seminoles' defense once again.
• Dupes has played in all 28 sets so far this season and has recorded 30 digs.
• Prior to injury, Dupes led the team with 287 digs in 2022 while playing in 94 sets.
• As a freshman, Dupes earned All-ACC honors and became the first freshman libero in FSU history to earn All-ACC honors.
• Broke the school freshman record with 3.88 digs per set and was also just the 12th player in FSU history to record over 400 digs.
• Dupes is currently averaging 3.29 digs per set in her career which ranks ninth all-time in FSU history.
• Dupes has also been terrific behind the service line recording 58 aces in three seasons. In 2021, Dupes recorded six service aces in a single match which is tied for the third-most ever by a Seminole in a single match.

Perry Shines on Opening Weekend

• After redshirting at Iowa State last season, Perry shined on opening weekend for the Noles.
• Perry is currently second on the team with 27 blocks and 1.04 blocks per set.
• Perry had seven total blocks against No. 25 Georgia which was just one block off her career high.
• Perry also has recorded 16 kills on 45 attempts.

Filimaua: A True Swiss Army Knife

• Kyleene Filimaua is a true do-it-all for Florida State volleyball.
• Returning to her main position as an outside hitter after playing libero last season, Filimaua has recorded 60 kills this season and has recorded four double-digit kill matches after recording just one double-digit kill match last year.
• To go along with her 60 kills this season, Filimaua has also recorded 62 digs, 16 assists, 12 aces and 7 blocks.

Phelan Becoming a Force on the Service Line and On Defense

• Kenna Phelan has shown off her nasty serve this season, and it became a game-changer for FSU.
• In 10 sets on opening weekend, Phelan recorded 10 aces from the service line. Her 10 aces were the eighth-most in the entire country on opening weekend.
• Phelan has recorded 15 service aces in eight matches so far this season.
• Phelan has also come on defensively as she has recorded 47 digs the last four matches.
• Phelan recorded 19 digs against Auburn and 15 digs against North Florida. It was the first time in her career that Phelan has had back-to-back matches with 10 or more digs.
• Phelan has also been great as a setter in FSU's 6-2 system as she has recorded 136 assists.

Henke Off to Strong Start for the Garnet and Gold

• After missing opening weekend, Iane Henke has come right in and been a very valuable asset for the Seminoles.
• In her debut, Henke tallied 10 kills and six blocks against Cal Poly.
• In total, Henke has had 30 kills, 22 digs, 17 blocks and five aces in five matches for the Noles.

Noles Going Through Gauntlet of a Schedule

• The Seminoles will get tested early and often in the 2024 season.
• In 10 non conference games, four of those games will come against teams that made the 2023 NCAA Tournament.
• Nine out of the 10 teams that FSU will play in the non conference had a winning record in 2023.
• FSU is still slated to play the No. 1, No. 2, No. 4, No. 13, No. 16 and No. 22 teams in the country.
• FSU has already played Georgia and Auburn and each received votes in this week's poll. FSU still has to play Miami twice who received votes in this week's poll as well.