LEXINGTON, Ky. – The No. 12 Kentucky volleyball team is ready for a Southeastern Conference showdown on Halloween when it hosts the 11th-ranked Florida Gators inside Memorial Coliseum on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. ET in a battle of the top two teams in the league.
The match is set to be broadcast live on ESPNU with Karch Kiraly and Paul Sunderland on the call.
UK has won 13 matches in a row and is coming off sweeps against Georgia and South Carolina. Kentucky is the only remaining undefeated team in the SEC, in large part thanks to its defense and limiting all its conference foes to hitting percentages of .199 or lower to date. The Wildcats have totaled double-digit blocks in the last three matches.
UK enters the match ranked first in the conference – fifth in the nation – in hitting percentage (.295). Kentucky also leads the league in assists (12.76/set) and kills (13.89/set). Two Cats boast hitting percentages over .300 and in the top 10 in the conference: Brooke Morgan’s SEC-leading .417 ranks eighth in the country while Caitlyn Cooper jumped into the top 10 at ninth with a .316 clip.
Leah Edmond leads the UK attack with 4.37 kills per set on the season, good enough for second overall in the SEC and 22nd in the nation. She holds the top spot among conference matches with 4.49 per set. Setter Madison Lilley will enter Wednesday’s action second in the league in assists with 10.87 per set. The Overland Park, Kansas, native leads all setters among conference matches with over 11 assists per set (11.14). Libero Gabby Curry boosted herself into the top five in digs – averaging 4.13 per set – after leading both matches last week with 17 and 12.
SCOUTING FLORIDA
The Gators enter Memorial Coliseum with a record of 19-4, having won 15 of their last 16 with their only conference loss coming in a five-setter at home against Missouri. Florida has beaten No. 2 Nebraska and lost to No. 3 Texas, No. 7 Southern California and Northern Arizona and is ranked second overall in the SEC. UF is coming off a sweep on the road at Mississippi State in its only match last week.
Florida ranks first in the SEC in opponent hitting percentage (.152) and blocks (2.87/set) while coming in at third in hitting percentage with .264. Rachael Kramer leads the conference in blocks with 1.39 per set and ranks inside the top 10 in hitting percentage at seventh, swinging .332 for the season. Taelor Kellum ranks fourth in the conference in hitting percentage at .355 and posts 1.19 blocks per set, good enough for fourth overall in the SEC. Alli Gregory heads up the UF defense with 3.77 digs per set.
PARKING INFORMATION
All E-lots surrounding Memorial Coliseum including the North Craft lot, Rose Street, High Street Lot and Linden Walk employee lots are available for event parking beginning three hours prior to first serve.
Additionally, the South Limestone Garage (PS#5) and the Rose Street Garage (PS#2) are available 2 hours prior to first serve. A shuttle is available free of charge from the South Limestone Garage (Parking Structure #5). The pick-up/drop-off point at the South Limestone Garage is located on Administration Drive. Shuttle services begin 2 hours pre-match and will continue 20 minutes after the first serve and will resume post-match for 1 hour.
Disabled parking is available in the North Craft lot. Spaces are limited and provided on a first come, first served basis with a valid, state-issued disabled parking hangtag.
PROMOTIONS AND GIVEAWAYS
There will be a Halloween bag and candy giveaway while supplies last. Be sure to dress in your best costume to be a part of the costume contest. All you have to do to enter the contest is attend the match. Per city ordinance, no masks are allowed. For the safety of those around you, props are also prohibited. The winner of the contest will receive a prize!
Fans can purchase a ticket with the promo code ‘BIGBOO’ at ukathletics.com/tickets. Kentucky Volleyball summer campers can receive free admission with their flyer or camp t-shirt.
Students can check in on the BBN Rewards app, sponsored by American Campus Communities, for 30 points and a chance to win prizes. There will also be free pizza and a Halloween bag with candy giveaway. There will be a separate costume contest for students, and the winner will receive a prize. Per city ordinance, no masks are allowed. For the safety of those around you, props are also prohibited.
