April 25, 2013
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Following Sweet 16 appearances in three of the last four seasons, UK coach Craig Skinner understands the significance of successful spring seasons. The 2013 spring slate proved its value, as the Wildcats earned a 7-1 overall record during four weekends of competition.
“As a staff we have been happy with our development this spring,” Skinner said. “Our new offensive system has made a ton of strides, and we are at a good starting point for the fall. Several players have evolved their games to put themselves in position to make an impact for us this season.”
After opening up the spring schedule with a 4-0 mark with wins over Illinois, Louisville, Illinois State and UT Martin, Kentucky logged a 3-1 record in the final two weeks of competition.
The Blue and White garnered a pair of wins at the Circle City VBS Collegiate Tournament in Indianapolis on April 13. The weekend included victories over Xavier and Ohio State. UK then concluded its spring season with matches against Ball State and Purdue on April 20. Kentucky downed the Cardinals, before falling in five closely contested sets to the host Boilermakers for the only loss of the spring season.
“We are very pleased with the effort and commitment of our players this spring,” Skinner said. “Combined with our improvement this spring and with a good summer of preparation, I think our fans will enjoy how we play in the fall.”
Prior to heading to West Lafayette, Ind., for the final weekend of competition the Wildcats hosted an interactive practice on April 19. Nearly 200 fans joined the Cats for a 1.5-hour practice and reception.
“The interactive practice was a huge success,” Skinner said. “The team really displayed its work ethic and training habits for our supporters. The interaction at the end and questions of interest were fantastic. Thank you to all who showed up and participated.”
The team endured a typical practice with Skinner explaining the drills and methods to the crowd. There were opportunities for questions from the fans, as Skinner and the Cats demonstrated various skills and plays.
Following practice, the team and the fans in attendance enjoyed a reception where everyone mingled and sought additional knowledge about the team and the sport.
“We had a tremendous response to our interactive practice,” UK director of operations Mandy Robbe said. “The excitement around volleyball has grown, and the Big Blue Nation has come out and showed support for the program. We are excited to take this momentum into the fall.”
Visit UKathletics.com for the most up-to-date information on the UK volleyball team. For additional coverage of the volleyball squad be sure and check out CatScratchesBlog.com/volleyball.
