Volleyball Returns to the PMAC to Host No. 15 Kentucky, South Carolina

After a turbulent start to the season, the skies have cleared, and Kentucky finds themselves at the top of the SEC standings with an 8-1 record (10-7 overall). UK is riding a league-best seven-match winning streak after handing No. 10 Arkansas its first SEC loss last weekend. Overall, the Wildcats have a .266 hitting percentage (No. 4 in the SEC) behind 14.18 kills per set (No. 2 in the SEC), 13.11 assists (No. 3 in the SEC) and 1.39 aces per set. UK leads the conference with a .297 hitting percentage and 14.00 assists per set in league matches only. Defensively, Kentucky averages 1.88 blocks and 13.55 digs per set. 

Kentucky nearly swept this week’s SEC weekly honors, beginning with setter Emma Grome, the SEC Setter of the Week. Grome leads the SEC and ranks No. 2 in the NCAA with 11.77 assists per set. Grome also has 16 aces, 117 digs, 30 kills and 22 blocks. Outside hitter Reagan Rutherford leads the team with 3.55 kills per set and adds 37 blocks and eight aces. Outside hitter Brooklyn DeLeye follows with 3.39 kills per set, leads the team with 217 total kills and is the reigning SEC Freshman of the Week for the third consecutive week. Libero Eleanor Beavin won the SEC’s Defensive Player of the Week award. Beavin ranks No. 6 in the SEC with 3.98 digs per set and has 14 aces this season.

LSU and Kentucky met earlier this season, with the Wildcats defeating the Tigers 3-0 in Lexington, Ky., in the SEC opener on Sept. 22. LSU is now 25-48 versus UK in the all-time series.

South Carolina has dropped three of its last five matches and is coming off a tight five-set loss against No. 24 Auburn last weekend. The Gamecocks have a strong defense that ranks No. 4 with 2.51 blocks per set and No. 5 with 14.11 digs per set. Offensively, South Carolina has a .200 hitting percentage with 12.62 kills, 11.99 assists and 1.21 aces per set. South Carolina will face No. 10 Arkansas Friday night before taking on LSU Sunday afternoon.

Middle blocker Oby Anadi is a leader for the Gamecock defense, averaging 1.29 blocks per set and has 89 total blocks – both ranking No. 4 in the SEC. Anadi also has 107 total kills, hitting .239. Libero Morgan Carter anchors the defense with 4.03 digs per set and has 11 aces this season. Outside hitter Riley Whitesides leads South Carolina with 2.84 kills per set and 14 aces, and setters Claire Wilson and Kimmie Thompson hand out 5.25 and 5.05 assists per set, respectively. 

LSU holds a 30-18 record over South Carolina and is currently on a four-match winning streak. The Tigers have also won five of the last six matches and 18 of the previous 25 matches versus the Gamecocks.