Kentucky VB Bounces Back With 3-1 Win Over No. 10 SMU

by: Penelope Steffek-Lynch9 hours agopenelopesl3

Kentucky volleyball falls to No. 1 Nebraska in five sets - UK Athletics

No. 3 Kentucky volleyball delivered a statement victory at home on Saturday, taking down No. 10 SMU in four sets (26-28, 25-22, 25-18, 25-23). The win was a much-needed momentum shift for the Cats, coming just three days after a tough sweep on the road to No. 7 Pittsburgh.

The highly anticipated matchup had all the makings of a showdown. SMU came into Memorial Coliseum undefeated at 6-0 and started hot, taking the first set in extra points, 28-26. Instead of surrendering, Kentucky continued to punch back behind the wild home crowd.

In set 2, Brooklyn DeLeye helped the Wildcats escalate their energy, playing a dominant role at the net. Kassie O’Brien did her part by spreading the offense and creating opportunities for her teammates. With sharper serves and steadier serve-receives, the Cats took the set 25-22.

Set 3 proved why Kentucky is one of the best teams in college volleyball. The defense was on fire, led by Molly Tuozzo with 21 digs, smothering SMU to defeat. The Cats took the set 25-18, leading them into the 4th set with all the momentum in their favor.

Set 4 was a thriller. Kentucky started strong, making SMU have to claw its way back. With the set down to the last wire, Eva Hudson hammered home the last kill to win the set 25-23. This gave the Cats the victory 3-1, igniting the raucous crowd over another top-10 win.

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DeLeye led the way with 22 kills, while Hudson added 16 of her own along with double-digit digs. Kentucky’s offense found its rhythm again, picking things back up after getting swept by Pitt.

Saturday’s victory wasn’t just another one in the books; it gave Kentucky the chance to prove itself after facing defeat. After embarrassingly falling to Pitt, the Wildcats needed to reinstate themselves against elite competitors. Defeating No. 10 SMU did just that, proving the Cats can take down the nation’s best.

Kentucky is now 4-2 on the season, taking the energy from Saturday’s match into Sunday for another Bluegrass Battle Matchup against Houston.