The No. 4 Kentucky Wildcats volleyball team responded in a big way on Friday night, sweeping No. 5 Penn State 3-0 in a top-five showdown at Rec Hall.
Just days removed from a heartbreaking five-set loss to No. 1 Nebraska, Kentucky showed they could bounce back against another national power. Kentucky controlled the match from the start, winning sets 25-21, 25-16, and 25-23.
Brooklyn DeLeye and Eva Hudson led the charge for Kentucky. DeLeye delivered a series of clutch kills, including the set-winner
in the opening frame, and added a key ace late in the third to push Kentucky ahead. Hudson was equally dominant, recording crucial kills and a momentum-shifting block as Penn State attempted to rally in the final set.
The Nittany Lions pushed Kentucky to the limit in set three, holding slim leads for most of the frame before Kentucky closed strong. A late timeout by Kentucky head coach Craig Skinner helped the team stay composed, and Hudson finished the match with a powerful kill to seal the sweep.
Despite some early serving errors, the Wildcats’ balanced attack and strong defensive play proved too much for Penn State, which dropped its second match of the season.
With the win, Kentucky improves to 2-1 and avoids back-to-back losses to start the year. The Wildcats will continue their challenging nonconference slate next week as they look to build momentum heading into SEC play.
