Nov. 13, 2008
LEXINGTON, Ky. – In the first of two home match-ups this weekend, the 22nd-ranked Kentucky volleyball team will welcome South Carolina to Memorial Coliseum on Friday at 7 p.m. The Gamecocks are currently in fourth place in the SEC East standings and hold a 10-5 mark in conference play, and will take on UK who is undefeated at home in conference action this season.
Kentucky (23-4, 14-2) was outstanding both offensively and defensively in their win at Arkansas on Sunday. UK dominated both sides of the net with a .462 hitting percentage and 17 blocks to lead to a 3-0 sweep of the Razorbacks. Sophomore Lauren Rapp was spectacular in last week’s two matches recording 33 kills with a .588 attack percentage in two matches. Rapp had career-highs of kills (23) against Ole Miss and hitting percentage (.643) against Arkansas. For her efforts, Rapp was recognized as the SEC’s Offensive Player of the Week.
Junior Sarah Rumely also achieved an impressive feat last week. UK’s setter that has seen every point of every match this season became just the third player in school history to tally over 4,000 career assists. Rumely posted a season-high 62 against Ole Miss, and for her career now has 4,020.
Behind sophomore Sarah Mendoza’s second consecutive double-double the Wildcats claimed a sweep of South Carolina in Columbia, on Oct. 12. The Blue and White earned the victory behind scores of 25-22, 25-18 and 25-22. Mendoza paced the UK attack with a team-high 11 kills while picking up 12 digs for her second straight double-double effort. Rapp led the way in the points column accounting for 14 tallies off of 10 kills and a team-high five blocks. Senior Queen Nzenwa was the other UK player in double-digits with 11 kills, while chipping in with three blocks. Rumely dished out 36 assists and added a pair of blocks to go along with seven scoops. Junior BriAnne Sauer added 13 digs for the Blue and White. Freshman Becky Pavan chipped in with nine kills and three blocks, while junior Brooke Bartek contributed two kills and a block in the winning effort.
Friday night at Memorial Coliseum there are several promotions running. It is staff and faculty night, Junior Wildcat Club night and Good Samaritan Hospital night. The first 100 faculty and staff who enter the Coliseum will receive a free Chick-fil-A dinner at the match. Additionally, any Junior Wildcat Club member will also receive a Chick-fil-A dinner. For your pre-match entertainment the elementary school choir will sing the National Anthem.
Live stats and free video streaming of the match with the Gamecocks is available at UK’s official website UKathletics.com.
