Sept. 22, 2011
LEXINGTON, Ky. – After concluding its month-long home stand with a nine-match winning streak, Kentucky will hit the road for its first Southeastern Conference road tests this weekend. UK will first face No. 6 Florida in Gainesville, Fla., at 7 p.m. ET.
Kentucky (11-2, 2-0 SEC) posted nine consecutive victories in the friendly confines of Memorial Coliseum and captured 27-of-29 sets in the stretch. Florida owns a national ranking of No. 6 and possesses an 8-2 overall mark and 1-0 clip in SEC play.
The Wildcats have used balanced performances in its winning streak with the offense overpowering opponents at times and the defensive front and back lines dominating at others. UK currently leads the SEC with 2.56 blocks per set and ranks in the top-two in kills per set (14.30) and assists per frame (13.20).
Five players record 2.25 kills per frame or more led by the hot-hand of junior Ashley Frazier who is averaging 2.82 kills per stanza. Frazier is also the Wildcats’ point-leader with 3.58 points per set. Furthermore, she ranks in the top 10 in the league with 15 service aces on the season.
Senior Ann Armes has provided a spark for the Blue and White as a middle blocker. Armes ranks among the league leaders in conference play with 1.14 blocks per set. She posted a career-high seven opponent rejections in a Wildcat victory over Georgia.
Junior libero Stephanie Klefot continues to anchor the defensive effort for the Wildcats. Klefot owns a conference-leading 5.16 digs per set and has charted 10 or more scoops in 12 matches this season.
Junior setter Christine Hartmann has continued to shine for the Wildcats. She is among the league leaders with 11.0 assists per set and is directing the UK offense to the tune of a .236 hitting percentage. Hartmann has continually dispersed the ball for an efficiently balanced offensive attack with attempts split among a variety of attackers.
Florida has knocked off a pair of ranked opponents including No. 10 Texas this season to highlight its early 8-2 overall record. The Gators’ only conference match was a 3-0 sweep of Mississippi State.
The Gators are led by the reigning SEC Player of the Week in Kelly Murphy. She leads the Gator attack with three triple doubles this season. Murphy posts 2.44 kills, 5.69 assists and 0.75 blocks per set.
Florida leads the all-time series with UK, 43-11. The Wildcats have won two of the last five meetings in the series, however. UK captured a win in Gainesville in a five-set thriller in 2009. That victory marked the first time Florida had lost at home in more than five seasons to an SEC foe.
Kentucky’s Memorial Coliseum will play host to the NCAA Regionals Dec. 9-10. UK is one of four sites selected for Sweet 16 and Elite Eight matchups with one team advancing to the Final Four in San Antonio, Texas, from the Lexington Region. Tickets are on sale now through the UK Ticket Office.
Visit UKathletics.com for the most up-to-date information on the UK volleyball team and all of Kentucky’s 22 teams.
