Kentucky VB Meets Dangerous Cal Poly in Sweet 16 Showdown

Kentucky volleyball, the top seed in the Lexington Regional and the No. 2 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, returns to Memorial Coliseum on Thursday at 3:30 p.m. ET with a spot in the Elite Eight on the line. A gritty No. 12-seeded Cal Poly team is standing in the way.

The Wildcats enter the matchup riding an incredible postseason performance, most recently a 3-1 victory over the 8-seeded UCLA Bruins, where their stars put on a show.

Outside hitter Brooklyn DeLeye delivered a dominant 30-kill performance on .397 hitting against the Bruins, while her teammate Eva Hudson added 27 kills of her own on a blistering .463 hitting percentage. Middle blocker Lizzie Carr and Asia Thigpen combined for eight key blocks, and setter Kassie O’Brien orchestrated the offense with 60 assists and 14 digs. Libero Molly Tuozzo once again delivered a complete performance, anchoring the defense with 15 digs.

Kentucky’s strength lies in its firepower and balance. DeLeye (537 points), Hudson (522.5 points), and Carr (123 blocks) headline a talented roster that has thrived against elite competition. Behind them, O’Brien’s 1,119 assists, coupled with Tuozzo’s 413 digs, have kept Kentucky at the top of the nation’s most efficient offenses.

But Cal Poly presents a dangerous test as arguably the most talented double-digit seeds in the tournament. The Mustangs have completed a sweep at Arkansas, plus wins over Cal, Utah, Hawai’i, Long Beach State, and back-to-back five-set upsets over No. 5 BYU and No. 4 USC in the NCAA Tournament. On paper, they’re built to compete with the nation’s elite competitors, hitting .278 while holding opponents to a .190 average and maintaining a significant blocking advantage of 281.0 to 189.0.

“I just don’t think they’re gonna take a point off,” Libero Molly Tuozzo said of Cal Poly. “I think they’re ready to fight and ready to win. They have nothing to lose… We just have to come out fighting.”

Emma Fredrick with 411 kills and 339 digs, and Kendall Beshear with 369 kills and 49 aces, lead a dynamic attack, while middles Charlotte Kelly and Chloe Leluge bring the size at the net. Setter Emme Bullis, with 1,184 assists, runs one of the most balanced offenses the Cats will encounter this postseason.

For the Wildcats, tough serving and disciplined blocking will be a huge factor in this match. With a win, Kentucky avoids becoming Cal Poly’s next victim and moves one step closer to a storybook final chapter at home.

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