No. 3 Volleyball Cats Prepare for No. 7 Florida
For the past few seasons, Kentucky and Florida have been the top two teams in the world of SEC volleyball. The two programs have combined to win the last four SEC regular season titles, the last three by the Cats, and five of the last six.
As the 2020-21 season progressed, these two teams once again found their way to the top of the conference standings. Now, after not facing each other for over a year, the Cats and the Gators will meet once again with SEC supremacy on the line. A pair of matches in Gainesville, one on Friday and another on Saturday, will go a long way in determining which team wins the conference title this year.
Kentucky is 16-0 and ranked third in the country. Florida is 16-2 and ranked number seven in the latest national poll.
UK head coach Craig Skinner has the utmost respect for the Gators and the Florida program.
“A lot of respect for Florida,” Skinner said. “The coaching staff down there will be prepared for us, we’ll be prepared for them.”
Skinner knows what makes Florida so good, but he also knows that his team will be up for the challenge.
“A lot of athletic talent on the floor (between the two teams),” Skinner said. “It’s going to come down to making some game-changing plays at the right time. You’re never going to just shut down Florida so you have to slow them down. They have some powerful arms. If we get our block in the right place and we serve tough enough that it limits their options. Going on someone’s home floor to try to do it is another piece of adversity. I know our players look forward to the opportunity to play them.”
UK senior outside hitter Avery Skinner knows that the experienced Cats will help Kentucky’s talented freshmen be ready for the big stage.
“I think we’re really confident in who we have on this team,” Skinner said. “We’ve done really well and I don’t think we intend to do anything different. The freshmen have done a good job of stepping up in pressure situations so I have no doubt they will do the same.”
Kentucky setter Madison Lilley, the overwhelming favorite for SEC Player of the Year, has directed the UK offense to some outstanding numbers this season. The Cats lead the SEC, and the country, in hitting percentage (.363). Kentucky leads the SEC, and is fourth in the country, in both assists (13.73/set) and kills (15.08/set). Individually, Lilley is first in the conference, and second in the country, in assists per set (12.19).
There have been a number of beneficiaries of Lilley’s passing. Azhani Tealer leads the SEC, and is 12th in the country, in hitting percentage (.460). Madi Skinner is third in the SEC in hitting percentage (.360) followed immediately by older sister Avery Skinner, who is fourth, hitting .366. Alli Stumler hits .345 on the season, which is seventh in the conference.
Florida is second in the SEC in hitting percentage (.296), kills (14.02/set) and assists (13.25/set). The Gators lead the SEC in blocks per set (2.85). Lauren Dooley, Nnedi Okammor and Holly Carlton lead the Florida blocking attack, with all three ranked in the top 10 in the SEC in blocks per set. Setter Marlie Monserez is second to Lilley in the conference with 10.75 assists per set.
Florida has won 11 matches in a row, including a pair of wins over then-No. 25 Missouri last weekend. The Gators last loss came on Nov. 20 against Georgia.
Historically, Florida has owned this series, leading 51-18 all-time. However, Kentucky has won the last three matches between the teams. Florida’s last win came in 2017.
The Cats are prepared for the challenge and hope to take another huge step toward a fourth straight SEC title.
