Nov. 12, 2011
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The 18th ranked Kentucky volleyball team will wrap-up its two-match road swing with a 2:30 p.m. ET date at Ole Miss on Sunday afternoon.
Kentucky earned a 3-0 sweep of Alabama on Friday night. UK benefited from quality performances from sophomore Whitney Billings and junior Ashley Frazier. Billings notched her fourth double-double effort of the season with 11 kills and 12 digs. Frazier turned in a team-high 12 kill-performance and has charted double-figure kills in all but two of UK’s conference matches.
With the win the Wildcats now own a 23-4 overall record and a 14-2 mark in conference action. Ole Miss dropped a heartbreaking five-set match to No. 15 Tennessee on Friday night to drop to 9-16 and 5-12. The loss snapped a four-match winning streak by the Rebels.
Junior Stephanie Klefot’s stellar junior campaign continued on Friday night with a 17-dig performance. Klefot has now tallied 466 scoops for the season. That total is among the top-10 single-season records in UK allure. Klefot also contributed to the offense in the win over the Tide with a career-high seven assists.
UK had three players record 10 or more kills in its win on Friday night. In addition to Frazier and Billings’ double-figure kills, senior Ann Armes also reached the plateau with 11 hammers on a .421 hitting clip. Armes has now posted consecutive matches with 10 or more kills and above .400 hitting percentages.
Ole Miss is paced by All-SEC performer Regina Thomas who has 2.17 kills and 1.12 blocks per set. UK captured a 3-1 victory over the Rebels in early October in the squads’ first matchup of the season.
A balanced defensive effort and quality performances offensively guided the Kentucky volleyball team to a 3-1 (25-19, 19-25, 25-14, 25-19) win.
The UK defensive effort strung together 47 digs and combined for 11.5 blocks in the win. Klefot posted a match-high 19 digs to lead the back line, while senior Becky Pavan steered the way up front with five block assists. The reigning SEC Defensive Player of the Week, Billings, added nine scoops and a trio of blocks.
Frazier charted her fourth consecutive match with 10 or more digs with a team-best 14 in the victory. Armes tossed down 12 hammers on a blazing .550 hitting clip. Billings was the third Wildcat in double-figures with 11 kills on a sparkling .400 hitting percentage.
Freshman Lauren O’Conner chipped in with nine kills to contribute to the offensive balance. Hartmann passed out 44 assists and added three kills of her own in directing the Blue and White offense to a .278 hitting clip and 55 kills.
Freshman Jackie Napper added eight digs, while sophomore Jessi Greenberg totaled five in the win.
Kentucky’s Memorial Coliseum will play host to the NCAA Regionals Dec. 9-10. UK is one of four sites selected for Sweet 16 and Elite Eight matchups with one team advancing to the Final Four in San Antonio, Texas, from the Lexington Region.
Opening night matches are scheduled for 5 and 7 p.m. ET. Saturday’s final is set for a 4:30 p.m. ET first serve.
Tickets are now on sale through the UK Ticket Office. All-Session Tickets are reserved for all ages at $14. General Admission tickets for adults are priced at $12 and students or seniors’ general admission is slated for $8.
Single session tickets are priced at $8 for reserved for all ages. General admission for adults is priced at $7, with students and seniors priced at $5. Youth single session tickets are $4.
For tickets or more information feel free to call, 1-800-928-CATS.
Visit UKathletics.com for the most up-to-date information on the UK volleyball team and all of Kentucky’s 22 teams.
