Emma Grome grabs another award as Kentucky VB stares down tough week
To say that this is a win may be an understatement. Emma Grome has made it a tradition of hers to pick up weekly awards, this week is no different. The sophomore setter from Loveland, Ohio just picked up her eighth weekly conference award of the season. Grome, last year’s SEC Freshman of the Year, silenced all doubts of a sophomore slump — if there were any to begin with.
SEC Player of the Week and SEC Setter of the Week were both Grome’s this week. If she had to use a red wagon to wheel away her previous awards, she might want to upgrade to a Ford F-150 or at least something with a large trunk.
While the week is off to a solid start for one of the stars of No. 18 Kentucky volleyball, the complete squad will need three inspiring performances as a big week ramps up. Two top-five SEC opponents await the Wildcats this week, one being the Tennessee Volunteers and the other being the No. 10 Florida Gators this weekend.
More than a setter
Grome has been phenomenal in running Kentucky’s offense and assisting by any means necessary. She’s earned her awards via the astounding numbers that she has been putting up recently. It also doesn’t hurt that this Kentucky team is on absolute fire this time of year. The ‘Cats have won five straight matches and 11 out of their last 12. Absolute flames.
After a 3-1 road win against Mississippi State on Friday night, Grome finished with 54 assists. The crazy thing is she’s used to these numbers. She logged 46 assists in a sweep against Georgia two weeks ago, and just followed it up with a 50-piece.
More than a setter though, remember that. Grome’s 19 digs against Mississippi State was a season-high for her and two off her career-high. It doesn’t stop there. She leads the squad in aces this season as well with 27. Reagan Rutherford is a close second place, only three aces behind.
Grome’s consistency is off the charts. She’s played in all 22 Kentucky matches this season and has started every single one of them. Rutherford was receiving some shouts for SEC POTY on the broadcast Friday night. There may be a new Wildcat to add to this mix — it’s only right.
Some combination of orange and white
Mix some blue in there as well. With three matches this week, Kentucky, which sits at 16-6 (11-2), will look to prove a point. Tennessee comes to town on Wednesday night, which will be the first match in Memorial Coliseum in over two weeks for the Wildcats. The Volunteers have won their last four, so something’s got to give for either side. Morgahn Fingall is one of the many Vols to watch, seeing she’s recorded a career-high 359 kills this season. This contest of two streaking teams will begin at 7 p.m. on Wednesday evening.
While trying not to overlook Tennessee, the weekend could be decisive for Kentucky’s hopes at the SEC crown. The SEC’s current first-place squad, No. 10 Florida, will be waiting for the ‘Cats in the Sunshine State. In what will be a top-20 battle, the Gators host Kentucky for a weekend series in Gainesville set to begin on Saturday, Nov. 19.
We are 12 days away from Selection Sunday for the 2022 NCAA volleyball tournament and the matches have never meant more. Kentucky will likely need to win the SEC to finish as a top-16 national seed which will give them the chance to host regional play.
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