UK Has a Showdown at Texas on Sunday

Eva Hudson will be a key player for UK in Sunday's showdown at Texas. (Vicky Graff Photo)

Kentucky is trying to win at least a share of a ninth consecutive SEC volleyball title and coach Craig Skinner’s team has known a showdown with Texas has been coming. It will be a battle not only of the two best teams in the SEC Sunday in Austin, Texas, but two of the top teams in the country (the match is on ESPN starting at 1 p.m. EST.)

Skinner says his team has been “pretty mature” in not looking ahead to the showdown the past few weeks. Kentucky beat Vanderbilt Friday night while Texas was upset at Texas A&M, so a UK win would almost assure the Cats of another title.

“I don’t think we’ve really gotten too far ahead of ourselves. We continue to talk about the most important match of the year is the next match. And we’ve always kind of been in that mode since I’ve been here,” Skinner said. “Luckily we have upperclassmen that understand the big picture.

“They (UK players) are all very serious about winning. Not just the results of winning but the way they go about playing the game. You have to be blue collar to be consistently good. You cannot just fly by the seat of your pants or go on emotion to be your best.”

Former UK All-American Leah Edmond, who now works for ESPN and the SEC Network, loves the way freshman setter Kassie O’Brien “does not get rattled” in any situation. O’Brien said part of that is because she has two of the nation’s most potent outside hitters in senior Eva Hudson and junior Brooklyn DeLeye.

“Kassie is someone that when the point starts, she has no memory of the last point. To have that type of competitive maturity and mental standpoint says a lot about a true freshman,” Skinner said. “She is still learning the game and is eager for more.”

Hudson was one of the most potent outside hitters in the Big Ten last year and nothing has changed since her move to the SEC.

“Obviously, she has elite level talent to begin with, but any time you change programs or systems, it takes time to get your feet underneath you and really feel 100 percent comfortable and confident with the people around you,” Skinner said.

“She’s just a great player, a great teammate, great competitor and it was bound to happen. I think every opponent is going to prepare for Eva Hudson and she’s ready for those challenges and thrives in those situations.”