UK Athletics Photo
Kentucky has so much depth on its volleyball team that it made me wonder how coach Craig Skinner could keep everyone happy, so I asked him after UK’s win over Houston Sunday.
“I don’t think it’s my job to necessarily keep people happy. I mean, you’re recruited to a program that’s trying to win championships, and so knowing that going in, everyone knows you’re going to have competition for spots,” Skinner said. “Opportunities are going to come. Some people’s opportunities come sooner than later.
“I think that the more important question is, how do you make sure everyone feels like their value is recognized? We know over the course of years that our entire roster means the difference between competing for championships or not. There are a lot of examples over the years where someone wasn’t always getting the kills, but the way they played impacted the match.”
Well, Skinner can now add the example of UK’s win at No. 3 Louisville Thursday night about what a roster that understands its value can mean because UK got heroic efforts from unexpected players to win 21-25, 25-21, 24-26, 25-12, 15-7 — its third top 10 win of the season.
“Defensively, we haven’t played like that in a long time,” Skinner said. “To hold a team like Louisville to 47 kills in a five-set match is pretty impressive.”
Yes it is but what’s even more impressive was the way Skinner had to juggle his lineup.
Jordyn Dailey had not played the previous five matches but got inserted into the match early and finished with six kills, four blocks and two digs. She gave UK a presence at the net it needed.
Marquette transfer Molly Berezowitz had 14 digs, one of five UK players in double digits in digs. However, several of hers were spectacular to keep points alive.
Asia Thigpen started but was not a big factor in the match until the fourth set when UK rattled off six straight points with her serving as part of a 13-1 run that changed the match’s momentum.
But the star of stars was redshirt sophomore setter Ava Sarafa. She lost her starting job to freshman Kassie O’Brien but had to come into the match in the fourth set with UK down 2-1 after O’Brien left with a leg injury. All Sarafa did was dish out 25 assists in the final two sets. She had assists on 11 of UK’s 15 points in the deciding fifth set.
“A rivalry match is more about our people who follow us all year long,” Skinner said after UK’s first win over Louisville since 2019. “I’m just happy for our fans. We always say we play for something bigger than ourselves.”
“This was bigger than what was on our chest,” said UK All-American Brooklyn DeLeye, who had 24 kills, 14 digs and six blocks. “It was about everybody here that cared, maybe even more than we did out there.”
The Cats impressed first-year Louisville coach Dan Meske.
“We didn’t have enough offensive solutions. Credit to Kentucky. That’s a great team that’s going to have a great year in the SEC,” Meske said.
