Sept. 11, 2008
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky volleyball team will welcome Indiana, Eastern Kentucky and Albany to Memorial Coliseum this weekend for a two-day round-robin tournament. The Wildcats are hosting their second tournament in three weeks, and the three opponents played this weekend will mark the final matches prior to SEC play which starts next week.
Kentucky (6-2, 0-0) has swept its last three opponents including a dominating performance over Tennessee State Wednesday night. UK’s defense was stiffening holding the Tigers to a negative hitting percentage for the match. Junior libero BriAnne Sauer paced UK with 10 digs, while sophomore Lauren Rapp rejected a team-high three shots. Rapp also led the way offensively recording 10 kills for the night. Kentucky has swept each of their last three opponents, which is the longest such streak since UK swept four opponents in a row Aug. 31-Sept. 4, 2007. Junior Sarah Rumely moved to ninth all-time on UK’s career service ace list with three aces against Tennessee State. She now has 106 for her career.
Indiana crosses the boarder and visits the Wildcats with a 4-2 overall record. Three of those wins by the Hoosiers came at home, while posting a 1-2 record in a neutral/road setting. Erica Short has been impressive at the net leading the team with 5.10 kills per set. Kelsey Hall isn’t far behind averaging 4.40 kills per frame. Hayley Koetter and Mary Chaudoin have combined to direct the offense each tallying over five assists per set. Indiana averages over two blocks per set as a team, while Juli Pierce leads the defense with four digs per stanza.
Eastern Kentucky enters the UK Invitational with a 1-5 record, and have yet to play at home thus far into the season. Lindsey Loescher paces the attack with a little over two kills per set. Jill Hennemann has recorded over 100 assists to start the season, and Amanda Wilson paces EKU’s blocking with six on the season.
Albany has enjoyed an impressive start to their season, getting huge home victories over Wright State, Buffalo and UCONN. The Great Danes hold a team hitting percentage of .223 on the year led by Kamisha Kellam who currently is hitting at a .402 clip. Three players average over two kills per set. Brooke Stanley averages over 10 assists per frame and has registered almost 200 assists. Albany is also a great blocking team, rejecting 43 attacks on the season where Kellam leads that individual category as well totaling 24 blocks already this season.
Complete coverage of the UK volleyball team’s Invitational and live stats for all of the matches can be found at UKathletics.com.
Schedule of Matches
Friday
Albany-Eastern Kentucky, 5 p.m.
Indiana at Kentucky, 7 p.m.
Saturday
Albany-Indiana, 10 a.m.
Eastern Kentucky at Kentucky, noon
Eastern Kentucky-Indiana, 5 p.m.
Albany at Kentucky, 7 p.m.
