Oct. 30, 2008
LEXINGTON, Ky. -
The 21st-ranked Kentucky Wildcats volleyball team returns home to Memorial Coliseum this weekend for two match-ups. The Blue and White will first meet SEC West leading LSU on Friday night with the match slated to begin at 7 p.m.
The Blue and White are coming off a pair of sweeps last weekend on the road. Kentucky swept the season series with both Mississippi State and Alabama. Against the Bulldogs, UK used their blocking powers to overcome a much improved Mississippi State team. Freshman Becky Pavan recorded eight blocks of her own in the victory.
Sophomore Sarah Mendoza enjoyed a career-day against the Crimson Tide leading the Wildcats to the second sweep of the season over the SEC West team. Mendoza put down 18 kills in a three-set match, which is just one shy of her career-high of 19 set in a five-set match. The Winter Park, Fla., native hit with a .586 percentage which is tops in her career. She only had one error on the entire day.
Kentucky's defense was incredible as the team tallied 14 blocks to overwhelm LSU's attackers en route to their third sweep in conference play with a 25-17, 25-21, 29-27 victory in the two team’s last meeting. Pavan led the way with seven blocks, with six players tallying a block in the win. Sophomore Lauren Rapp and senior Queen Nzenwa each registered five rejections, with junior Sarah Rumely (4), Mendoza (3), and junior Brooke Bartek (2) all getting in on the action. Five Kentucky players also tallied seven or more digs to go along with the gut-wrenching performance. Mendoza, Rumely and junior BriAnne Sauer all had nine digs. Sophomore Laura Stokowski and Rapp had eight and seven scoops, respectively.
|
|
 |
Kentucky's offense was also impressive hitting with a .282 percentage and tallying 43 kills in the match. Rapp was the lone UK player to reach double-figures with 10. Mendoza tallied nine, with Nzenwa contributing eight and Pavan laying down seven. Bartek added a then season-high four, and Rumely got in the action with a pair. Four players registered double-figure point efforts, led by Rapp's 13.
Friday’s match with LSU is UK Student Appreciation night
• 20 lucky students will receive dinner free
• First 100 students will receive a long sleeve UK volleyball T-shirt
• All students sitting in the Litter Box will receive a free rally towel
• Two lucky students will win a $100 gift bag from the UK Bookstore
• There will be “trick or treat” candy for students and kids at the match
Sunday’s match against Georgia is Kids’ Day
• The first 100 kids get a free UK Volleyball water bottle
• 25 kids who wear blue will get a free UK Volleyball rally towel
• Two kids will receive a $100 gift bag from the UK Bookstore
• One lucky kid will win a pizza party for 10
• Kids will get the opportunity to get their picture taken with the Wildcat and Scratch from 11:45 am – 12:15 pm before the match
Live results and free video streaming of the match with LSU can be found at UKathletics.com. Following the completion of the match, visit UK’s official homepage for a complete recap of the match.
