'Leahs' Lead Cats Past Cleveland State
On Friday, when the Kentucky volleyball team needed a kill, there was just one name they needed to ask for – Leah.
While that might sound like the Cats were targeting one particular player, UK actually has two Leahs on the squad this season. And in Friday’s three-set sweep of Cleveland State, both Leahs were huge contributors.
In the first set, senior Leah Edmond was dominant, notching 10 kills on just 12 swings (.833) as the Cats topped the Vikings 25-17.
It was a fast start for Edmond, who took advantage of what Cleveland State was giving her.
“(Setter) Madison (Lilley) was giving me really good sets and they were going up the middle, which leaves us one on one which is really nice,” Edmond said.
Kentucky head coach Craig Skinner liked how Edmond got things going early for the team.
“She was very hot in the first set,” Skinner said. “When she’s hot, she’s very hot to stop, as you saw.”
In set two, it was graduate transfer Leah Meyer taking over the offensive role for her namesake. Meyer registered six kills in the frame, as UK grabbed a 2-0 lead with a 25-19 set win.
Meyer, who is known for her blocking game, is seeing her offense improve with every match.
“We’ve been working, especially this week, on rhythm and kind of working with the setters a little bit,” Meyer said. “When you’re working with a new setter, it takes a little bit more time to come along.”
After being frustrated initially in that second set, Meyer was focused on finishing the job.
“They dug up the first couple, so I was really determined to put the next couple (of shots) down,” she said.
Skinner had high praise for Meyer following the match.
“She makes very few mistakes and she has a rocket arm,” Skinner said. “Having someone who is a threat behind the setter is valuable for our setter and valuable for the outside hitters on the other side because they’re going to get one-on-ones. I still think she’s improving, so it will be fun to see what we can get out of her.”
In set three, both Leahs played a role as the Cats completed the sweep, winning the stanza 25-9. Edmond had three kills in the set, while Meyer had two in the quick final frame.
With both players sharing the same first name, one might wonder if there is ever confusion during a Wildcats’ match, or even in practice.
“All the time,” Edmond said. “The whole team will just yell ‘Leah’ and both of us are like, ‘OK’. I’ve gotten to the point where I ignore it unless someone says ‘Leah Edmond’. It happens all the time.”
With these two Leahs leading the way, the Cats easily claimed the first game in the Bluegrass Battle. Kentucky returns to action this evening, facing Florida Gulf Coast at 8:30 at Memorial Coliseum, and the Leahs will be ready to take charge again.
