Oct. 2, 2010
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky volleyball team will return home to the friendly confines of Memorial Coliseum to host Ole Miss at 1:30 p.m. ET Sunday. Kentucky will also take the opportunity to honor those affected by cancer with the annual Dig for the Cure match against the Rebels.
All proceeds will benefit breast cancer research, treatment, and education at the Markey Cancer Center. Fans can receive one dollar admission to the match if he or she wears pink to the match.
UK (8-7, 2-3) returns home after a three-match road swing in Southeastern Conference action. Kentucky last played at home on Sept. 19 and earned a 3-1 victory over South Carolina. Ole Miss possesses a 9-5 overall record and a 3-2 clip conference play after dropping a 3-1 match to No. 23 Tennessee on Friday.
Kentucky enjoyed its bye date on Friday evening, after last playing at Tennessee on Wednesday. Senior Blaire Hiler led the way offensively for the Wildcats with 12 kills. Sophomore libero Stephanie Klefot has been a steady mainstay in the back-row defensively for the Wildcats. Klefot scooped up 17 digs against the Lady Vols and has led the Wildcats in digs in 14 matches this season.
Ole Miss has four players who average over 2.45 kills per set as the squad averages 13.94 kills per frame on .209 hitting. Regina Thomas leads the way for the Rebels with 2.73 kills per set and 1.31 blocks to accompany her offensive prowess.
Kentucky swept the Rebels in both meetings a season ago, after splitting meetings the previous two seasons.
On Nov. 1, 2009 in the last meeting between the squads, In the most complete effort of the season the 12th-ranked Kentucky Wildcats rolled to a 3-0 (25-12, 25-15, 25-14) sweep of Ole Miss in Oxford, Miss. UK’s victory at the Gillom Sports Center is the first since 2005 when the Blue and White swept the Rebels in Craig Skinner’s first season as coach.
Kentucky was simply phenomenal in all phases of the match charting 47 kills on a .396 attacking percentage. Defensively the Wildcats totaled 11 blocks and 49 digs.At the net, Gretchen Giesler posted the third match of her career with seven blocks while adding a career-high six digs. Lauren Rapp added six rejections. Becky Pavan posted nine hammers on a career-best .818 attack percentage. Rapp and Hiler each had five kills to add to the distribution to lead the way.
Stay tuned all season long to UKathletics.com for the most up-to-date information regarding the Kentucky volleyball team.
