Sept. 30, 2013
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The senior tandem of Whitney Billings and Alexandra Morgan were vital performers in a 3-0 week for the 18th-ranked Kentucky volleyball program. For their efforts, Billings was named the Southeastern Conference’s Player of the Week, while Morgan hauled in Defensive Player of the Week accolades from the league office.
The honor is the second of the season for Billings who was previously tabbed the Player of the Week on Sept. 16. She is now a five-time weekly honoree. The distinction is the first of the season for Morgan, and the third of her career after earning the same honor twice as a junior.
Billings was Kentucky’s impact player en route to a 3-0 week which included a pair of SEC victories on the road. Billings logged a pair of double-doubles, while reaching double-figures in the kills’ column in each of the three wins. Her six blocks in the win at Alabama marked a season-high. The 17 kills was a season-best for a three-set match in the sweep of Auburn.
In the two road victories in league play, Billings averaged 4.43 kills per set on a sizzling .377 hitting percentage. She also added 3.14 digs per frame and 1.43 blocks per stanza. The .448 hitting percentage against the Crimson Tide marked a season-best in a four-set match.
Morgan was terrific for the Cats in a 3-0 week. Morgan averaged 2.10 kills per set while hitting on a .472 hitting percentage. She added 17 blocks and 11 digs for the week for an average of 1.10 digs and 1.70 blocks per frame. Her nine blocks in the win at Auburn marked a season-high and just one off her career-best of 10. The nine blocks was also just one rejection shy of a single-match record in UK history for a three-set match. In the two SEC wins, Morgan averaged 2.14 kills on .429 hitting. She added a squad-best 2.14 blocks per stanza in helping UK to a pair of wins in her hometown state.
UK returns home Friday, Oct. 4th with a 7 p.m. ET tilt vs. Ole Miss for the SEC home opener. UK will play Tennessee on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. ET.
Kentucky’s Memorial Coliseum will play host to the NCAA Regionals Dec. 13-14. UK is one of four sites selected for the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight matchups with one team advancing to the Final Four in Seattle, Wash., from the Lexington Region. This marks the second time in three seasons Memorial Coliseum will host this premier volleyball event.
Visit UKathletics.com for the most up-to-date information on the Kentucky volleyball team and all 22 varsity sports. For additional info on the volleyball team like Kentucky Volleyball on Facebook or follow the team on Twitter at @KentuckyVB.
