Sissy Canfield records 1,000th career kill in match?s second game.
The University of Kentucky volleyball team held off a scare late in the fourth game from the Auburn Tigers to capture a 3-1 victory on the heels of a career-high 23 kills by sophomore Danielle Wallace.
Wallace led Kentucky (13-11, 5-7 Southeastern Conference) her fourth double-double of the season, and her fourth in the last seven matches with 11 digs. Freshman libero Jenni Casper had a career-high 33 digs in the victory, the most by an SEC player this season. Senior Sissy Canfield earned her 1,000th career kill in the second game, but totaled 15 in the match. Sarah Spinner had her 10th double-double of the season with 22 kills and 11 digs, while setter Leigh Marcum had her fifth double-double of the year with 58 kills and 11 digs.
Neither team could seem to make a run in the first game as the teams fought through 18 ties, including the final tie late in the game at 26-26. Kaplan then came on strong for the Cats, knocking down a kill and adding an ace to give UK the 28-26 lead, forcing an Auburn timeout. The Tigers returned to take the next point on an Ashlee Johns shot. Kills by Spinner for UK and Johns for AU would put the score at 29-28 before Kentucky sealed the win with a shot down the middle by Canfield.
Kentucky hit .328 in the game to the Tigers? .340, but counted 24 kills to AU?s 18. Wallace and Spinner led the effort with six kills apiece, while Jenni Casper had 11 digs in the opening stanza.
After seven early ties to begin the second game, Kentucky worked to an 11-8 lead with a run that included two kills by Wallace. Auburn was able to tie things again at 12 with a John?s putdown, but after another tie at 13, Kentucky took control for good. Canfield put down her 1,000th career kill to put UK ahead 16-13.
The Wildcats led by as many as nine down the stretch as Kentucky rolled to the 30-20 victory. Wallace totaled nine kills in the game, while Canfield and Wallace each earned a solo block in the game. Kentucky out-hit the Tigers, .378 to .140 in the game.
The Cats took an early 4-1 lead to open the third game, but Auburn took three-in-a-row to tie the game at 4-4. After two more quick ties, the Tigers took control and capitalized on UK errors to earn the 13-9 lead. Tough defensive play let the Wildcats even the score at 15 before gaining control at 16-15 on a Canfield kill.
An ace by Kirby Newhouse allowed the Cats to stretch the advantage to four at 19-15, but Auburn wouldn?t back down, tying the game at 21, the first of a series of five ties. Consecutive net violations on Julie Davis gave AU the 26-25 edge and the Tigers would steal the game from there, 30-28, forcing another go-round.
Kentucky rolled to a 7-3 lead to open the fourth stanza and continued to build from there. The Tigers gave UK a scare mid-way through the game, coming within two points at 13-11. after a timeout, Kentucky came back with a 6-1 run to stretch for the 19-12 lead. Auburn was able to hold the Cats on match point for five straight plays before a Canfield shot sealed the victory, 30-27.
The Cats return home for the first time in two weeks when they play host to South Carolina on Wednesday, Nov. 5 at 7 p.m
