Emma Grome, right, broke UK’s all-time assists record in Friday’s win over Minnesota. (UK Athletics Photo)
When someone reminded two-time All-American setter Emma Grome that Friday night was going to be her last match ever at Memorial Coliseum, she admitted she got emotional.
“It’s just been incredible. I mean, it really hit me today. I honestly didn’t realize until someone said to me earlier that today was my last game in Memorial ever,” Grome said after Kentucky outlasted Minnesota 3-1 (25-11, 23-25, 25-22, 26-24) to reach the regional semifinals of the NCAA Volleyball Championship. “And I got emotional, it’s sad.
“My four years here have been absolutely incredible. Every year I feel like our team grows so much and the people here are so awesome. I don’t know, it’s been getting to me lately, guys, but it’s been awesome.”
It was even more awesome that she broke the UK rally-scoring era record for assists — a mark previously held by UK assistant coach Madison Lilley, the national player of the year when Kentucky won the 2020 national championship.
Grome had 50 assists to push her career total to 4,963 — one more than Lilley. It was fitting she claimed solo possession of the record after Eleanor Beavin, her classmate/teammate for four years, dug a Minnesota to set up Grome for the assist to Brooklyn DeLeye to give UK a 23-20 lead in the final set.
Kentucky will likely be playing in Pittsburgh either Thursday or Friday. No. 1 seed Pittsburgh will host Oklahoma tonight and if it wins will host the regional. Kentucky will play Missouri, a team it beat twice during the season, after the Tigers upset No. 2 seed SMU Friday. However, if Oklahoma beats Pittsburgh, Kentucky would host the regional since it is the No. 3 seed.
Grome, who also had 12 digs and five blocks, said it was “incredible” to be in the Sweet Sixteen again.
“I mean, we’ve had our ups and downs with injuries, and we knew it was going to take us a little bit throughout the season to get our group, get our offense, get our defense up. We just knew it’s going to take some time to get to this level, but now we’re here,” Grome, who clinched set two with a block, said.
“I mean, it’s incredible the growth we’ve had. Every single player has made huge strides, and as you’ve seen as a team, we’re just so gritty now, we’re so intense. The growth has just been huge, and it’s so awesome that we’ve gotten to this point, and we just got to keep it going. But we’re in a really good spot. I’m really proud of how we’ve performed.”
Kentucky hit .324 against Minnesota and was led by Brooklyn DeLeye, the SEC Player of the Year, with 22 kills. Senior Erin Lamb had 13 kills and Megan Wilson added 11 kills. Middle blockers Jordyn Dailey and Brooke Bultema were superb as Dailey was errorless on nine kills and Bultema had eight kills. Bultema also had a career-high seven blocks.
“The University of Kentucky has an outstanding program as well as an outstanding team. I think Kentucky is a formidable opponent. Obviously, they are SEC champions for a reason and they have great potential in this tournament,” Minnesota coach Keegan Cook said.
“They did what they do best and that’s run a really diverse powered offense and certainly knocked us on our heels a little bit in that first set but then I thought our group did what they do best which was respond and show them some of the things that they can do defensively as well as in transition.”
Skinner warned after Thursday’s win over Cleveland State that Minnesota was a talented team that beat two-time defending national champion Texas, a No. 1 seed in the tourney, and Wisconsin, a No. 2 seed, during the season. However, his team never wilted against Minnesota.
“Just proud of the group. The mental toughness growth that we’ve had throughout the season is pretty significant. Even saw it in that match. Set two let it slip away and then tough as nails in the fourth so, proud of our group and to be able to hit .325 on a great defensive team like that is big time,” he said.
Kentucky may have played its best set of the season to dominate Minnesota in friendly Memorial Coliseum. The Cats were unable to match that dominance but did enough to advance.
“We started off strong. You never know how games like that are going to start, but we knew they were going to come back a lot stronger than they did in the first set, and that’s what they did,” Grome said.
“So we knew we needed to sustain our level of energy and our level of play, and I think it dipped a little bit throughout the match, but we were able to get it back up and keep it pretty steady.”
