Madison Lilley Wins SEC Player, Setter of the Week
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – After posting victories over Loyola (Chicago) and Marquette last weekend in Milwaukee, Kentucky volleyball freshman Madison Lilley was honored as the Southeastern Conference Player and Setter of the Week after helping the Cats set multiple offensive records.
Lilley is the first UK player to win an SEC award this season and the awards are the first two in her young career. The Overland Park, Kansas, native averaged 14.4 assists and helping the Wildcats hit an impressive .482. Kentucky posted 124 kills, averaging 17.7 kills per set.
In the final match of the weekend, Lilley dished out 65 assists for the second time this season. She is now the only Kentucky setter to ever post two matches of 65 or more assists in her career during the 25-point rally scoring era, and did it in just her eighth career appearance. As a team, UK recorded 81 kills, which shattered the team record for a four-set match in the 25-point era by 12. Not only did the 81 kills break the four-set record, but it outnumbered the five-set total as well. The Cats hit .451 in the four-set win, and four players recorded double-digit kills.
Lilley served up 36 helpers in Saturday night’s match against Loyola (Chicago), helping the Cats sweep the Ramblers. The freshman helped Kentucky hit a scorching .548, a team-record during a three-set sweep in the 25-point rally scoring era. The Wildcats committed just three errors in the victory and recorded 43 kills.
UK’s freshman setter averaged 14.4 assists per set and added 1.14 blocks per frame in the two wins. She also contributed five kills, a pair of aces and six digs. Five players had double-digit kill totals for the week, with sophomore Leah Edmond and Avery Skinner terminating more than three kills a frame to lead the way. No player attacked with a clip lower than .340 for the weekend.
For the season, Lilley has hit 40 or more assists five times and averages 11.82 assists per set. She’s helped UK utilize a .319 attacking percentage during the season, which leads all SEC teams. She’s added 60 digs this season and has four double-doubles.
Kentucky returns home to Memorial Coliseum on Friday, when the Cats take on Louisville at 7 p.m.
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