Molly Tuozzo had 14 digs and four assists for Kentucky Friday. (Vicky Graff Photo)
It was Kentucky’s fourth and final exhibition match of the spring season and one that certainly showed coach Craig Skinner and his team how much work lies ahead for it to make it back to the Final Four for a second straight season.
Rival Louisville beat UK 15-25, 25-19, 10-25, 16-25) in Memorial Coliseum and hit .257 compared to only .148 for the Cats. Kentucky not only had 27 hitting errors but also had nine service errors. Louisville redshirt freshmanChloe Meester had seven aces by herself while Kentucky had none.
Skinner praised Louisville for the way it played.
“They’re a well oiled machine, and their experience, and time they have played together, it showed,” the Kentucky coach said. “As it was at this time last year, we have a long way to go to get to where we want to be.
“Both teams will be highly ranked to begin the season. It’s just a matter of what happens between now and then for them to continue the ability they are, and us to ramp it up between now and then.”
Kentucky won another Southeastern Conference title last year and then reached the NCAA Tournament championship game for only the second time before losing to Texas A&M.
Junior Brooklyn DeLeye finished with 13 kills and three digs for Kentucky, but hit only .071 with 10 errors. Notre Dame transfer Mogan Gaerte had 11 kills and seven digs. Setter Kassie O’Brien, last season’s National Freshman of the Year, had 36 assists and 10 digs while libero Molly Tuozzo added 14 digs.
After the match, I asked Skinner what he liked best and disliked the most about Kentucky’s play.
“I thought probably the best thing was just the response that we had in set two,” Skinner said. “Primarily the same lineup in the first two sets, and we responded and delivered in the second set. So really liked the composure we showed in that situation, and the ability to transition for points where you touch the ball with our block and defensively.
“What we didn’t like is that our first contact was erratic. Our second contact setting was erratic, and our serving pressure was not consistent. We served too many balls right at people, and that’s a great passing team.”
One Response
Highly disappointed in that blow out.