Kentucky players celebrated in a big way after their comeback win over Wisconsin. (Vicky Graff Photo)
It was hard to watch Kentucky play the first set against Wisconsin. A team that had won 26 straight matches and seemed in sync almost all season looked discombobulated and lost as Wisconsin destroyed Kentucky 25-12 in the first set of the national semifinals in Kansas City Thursday night.
Most teams would have folded — but not the Comeback Cats. Remember the reverse sweep of Texas, one of the four No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament — when UK won the SEC Tournament. This was even better.
Kentucky won 12-25, 25-22, 21-25, 26-24, 15-13 to advance to Sunday’s national championship match against Texas A&M, a 3-0 winner over Pittsburgh in Thursday’s first national semifinal.
“It was one of the worst starts but one of best finishes I have seen,” ESPN analyst Katie George, a former Louisville All-American, said. “What an evolution by Kentucky. The mental strength it took for Kentucky to win his match was incredible.”
Kentucky coach Craig Skinner wasn’t sure how to explain exactly what his team did considering Wisconsin had more kills, a better hitting percentage, more digs, more assists and more blocks.
“The cool thing about this team is that I thought it had done it all and found every possible way to win and tonight found a different way,” Skinner said. “The way they played and the heart they showed is immeasurable. They are transformational leaders for what they have done for the sport not just in Kentucky but around the country. But the job is not finished.”
No it is not but Kentucky looked finished after the first set.
“Everyone is angry. We are upset,” Skinner said about the first set. “I basically said, ‘Congrats guys. We could not have played any worse and they played great.’ The only thing to do is flush it and move on to the next set.”
Kentucky did that. The Cats still didn’t play at quite as high a level as they have been but Wisconsin had a lot to do with that. Still, Kentucky won.
All-American Eva Hudson had only three kills the first set and nine in the first two sets. She finished with 29 kills on 55 swings and hit .455. She also had seven digs and two blocks.
All-American Brooklyn DeLeye hit only .160 with 15 kills and seven errors. But she had 14 digs and seven blocks. Her passing also set up several big points and she also was at her best in the fourth and fifth sets that UK had to win to advance.
All-American libero Molly Tuozzo had 17 digs and five assists. She also constantly chased down balls to keep points alive.
Freshman All-American setter Kassie O’Brien seemed out of sync early but finished with 54 assists, nine digs, two blocks and two kills. She didn’t wilt under pressure.
“I think we came out a little timid in the first set and slowly found our rhythm. The fourth and fifth sets I was just swinging away and the people behind me were covering me,” Hudson said.
Tuozzo said the Cats understand there are 25 points per set and that UK had to “move on” from the first set debacle.
“This team has so much grit and fight,” Tuozzo said on ESPN’s SportsCenter. “We got down and there was no fear in our eyes. We are a gritty team. I think we just out-gritted them.”
Kentucky was down 20-18 in set two but used a 6-0 run to eventually take the set on a Hudson kill. After Wisconsin pulled out the third set, the Cats had a 24-21 lead in set four but Wisconsin tied the match 24-24. That’s when Kennedy Washington made up for a miserable hitting outing with back to back blocks to give the set to UK.
In the fifth set, freshman Trinity Ward had a service ace in a 5-0 run that put Kentucky on top 6-1. The lead reached 8-2 but Wisconsin rallied to cut the lead to 14-13. After a Kentucky timeout, Hudson put Kentucky into the national championship game with a big kill off an O’Brien assist.
“I am so proud of this team. We have had so much grit all year long,” Hudson said after UK’s 27th straight win, the longest streak in program history.
Skinner said one of the most difficult things in sports to do is play one point at a time.
“There’s no way to be elite if you are trying to play two or three points at a time. If you start thinking about the moment, the crowd, the score and what could happen you won’t execute. Our team did an incredible job of not letting the score dictate our focus,” the Kentucky coach said.
It was hard to watch Kentucky play the first set against Wisconsin. A team that had won 26 straight matches and seemed in sync almost all season looked discombobulated and lost as Wisconsin destroyed Kentucky 25-12 in the first set of the national semifinals in Kansas City Thursday night.
Most teams would have folded — but not the Comeback Cats. Remember the reverse sweep of Texas, one of the four No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament — when UK won the SEC Tournament. This was even better.
Kentucky won 12-25, 25-22, 21-25, 26-24, 15-13 to advance to Sunday’s national championship match against Texas A&M, a 3-0 winner over Pittsburgh in Thursday’s first national semifinal.
“It was one of the worst starts but one of best finishes I have seen,” ESPN analyst Katie George, a former Louisville All-American, said. “What an evolution by Kentucky. The mental strength it took for Kentucky to win his match was incredible.”
Kentucky coach Craig Skinner wasn’t sure how to explain exactly what his team did considering Wisconsin had more kills, a better hitting percentage, more digs, more assists and more blocks.
“The cool thing about this team is that I thought it had done it all and found every possible way to win and tonight found a different way,” Skinner said. “The way they played and the heart they showed is immeasurable. They are transformational leaders for what they have done for the sport not just in Kentucky but around the country. But the job is not finished.”
No it is not but Kentucky looked finished after the first set.
“Everyone is angry. We are upset,” Skinner said about the first set. “I basically said, ‘Congrats guys. We could not have played any worse and they played great.’ The only thing to do is flush it and move on to the next set.”
Kentucky did that. The Cats still didn’t play at quite as high a level as they have been but Wisconsin had a lot to do with that. Still, Kentucky won.
All-American Eva Hudson had only three kills the first set and nine in the first two sets. She finished with 29 kills on 55 swings and hit .455. She also had seven digs and two blocks.
All-American Brooklyn DeLeye hit only .160 with 15 kills and seven errors. But she had 14 digs and seven blocks. Her passing also set up several big points and she also was at her best in the fourth and fifth sets that UK had to win to advance.
All-American libero Molly Tuozzo had 17 digs and five assists. She also constantly chased down balls to keep points alive.
Freshman All-American setter Kassie O’Brien seemed out of sync early but finished with 54 assists, nine digs, two blocks and two kills. She didn’t wilt under pressure.
“I think we came out a little timid in the first set and slowly found our rhythm. The fourth and fifth sets I was just swinging away and the people behind me were covering me,” Hudson said.
Tuozzo said the Cats understand there are 25 points per set and that UK had to “move on” from the first set debacle.
“This team has so much grit and fight,” Tuozzo said on ESPN’s SportsCenter. “We got down and there was no fear in our eyes. We are a gritty team. I think we just out-gritted them.”
Kentucky was down 20-18 in set two but used a 6-0 run to eventually take the set on a Hudson kill. After Wisconsin pulled out the third set, the Cats had a 24-21 lead in set four but Wisconsin tied the match 24-24. That’s when Kennedy Washington made up for a miserable hitting outing with back to back blocks to give the set to UK.
In the fifth set, freshman Trinity Ward had a service ace in a 5-0 run that put Kentucky on top 6-1. The lead reached 8-2 but Wisconsin rallied to cut the lead to 14-13. After a Kentucky timeout, Hudson put Kentucky into the national championship game with a big kill off an O’Brien assist.
“I am so proud of this team. We have had so much grit all year long,” Hudson said after UK’s 27th straight win, the longest streak in program history.
Skinner said one of the most difficult things in sports to do is play one point at a time.
“There’s no way to be elite if you are trying to play two or three points at a time. If you start thinking about the moment, the crowd, the score and what could happen you won’t execute. Our team did an incredible job of not letting the score dictate our focus,” the Kentucky coach said.
Kentucky-Wisconsin Volleyball
Photos by Vicky Graff
6 Responses
The VCats are unbelievable! It was worth staying up for. Now finish the job ladies!
they are unreal Jimmy. best team on campus by far
I'm so proud of this team. I missed most of the 1st set & was ready to throw in the towell. Glad that I continued – Several words in this article – Grit – Fight – Heart – Mental Strength – Incredible – All were on display! Can't wait until the Final!
I'm so proud of this team. I missed most of the 1st set & was ready to throw in the towell. Glad that I continued – Several words in this article – Grit – Fight – Heart – Mental Strength – Incredible – All were on display! Can't wait until the Final!
got a feeling you were not by yourself on being ready to throw in the towel
Maybe Skinner should have a talk with Pope about the "assignment" and how to achieve it.
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