Nov. 1, 2012
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Kentucky volleyball team will return to the friendly confines of Memorial Coliseum on Friday as the Wildcats host Ole Miss in a 7 p.m. ET tilt. This will mark the second meeting between the two squads this season, as UK captured the opening meeting by a 3-0 score.
Kentucky owns a 15-8 overall record and a 9-4 record in Southeastern Conference action. Ole Miss will enter the meeting possessing a 10-11 overall and 4-8 mark within league play.
The Wildcats have won nine of their last 11 matches which include five sweeps of 3-0 scores. UK wrapped up a road swing with two five-set victories at Tennessee and at Georgia in its last action.
UK was paced by the play of SEC Player of the Week Christine Hartmann. The senior setter has won the award twice in the last three weeks for UK. Hartmann had an impressive weekend for UK leading the Wildcats to a .338 hitting percentage against the Bulldogs which ranked as the best hitting clip in a five-set match among any other SEC team this season.
Hartmann directed four players to 10 or more kills in both matches over the weekend. UK had not previously achieved the feat all season. Additionally, she notched a career-high 19 digs against Georgia while pounding down a career-high nine kills in the win at Tennessee.
Senior Ashley Frazier and junior Whitney Billings were equally impressive in the two victories. The duo combined for 64 kills on the weekend and both averaged a .300 hitting percentage or better. Junior Alexandra Morgan contributed a career-high 15 kills in the win at Georgia.
Ole Miss comes to Lexington having won two of its last three SEC matches. The Rebels are led offensively by junior outside hitter Kara Morgan who has racked up 232 kills (3.18 K/Set) with a an attacking percentage of .234. Freshman middle blocker Ty Laporte is hitting at a .313 clip averaging 2.10 kills per set.
Senior libero Ashley Veach is averaging 4.44 digs per set after tallying 342 digs thus far in the 2012 season.
UK earned a 3-0 (25-17, 25-18, 25-19) sweep of Ole Miss in the squads’ first meeting of the season. Kentucky was paced by a team-high 11 kills from sophomore Lauren O’Conner as the Blue and White blasted the Rebels for 45 kills on a blazing .548 hitting clip for the match.
Freshman Kayla Tronick earned her first career start and turned in a 10-kill performance on a staggering .833 hitting percentage. O’Conner had 11 hammers on a .556 clip. Both led the way with a trio of blocks as well.
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.
