Cats sweep Golden Panthers, win Kentucky Classic

The UK volleyball team is trying to go bigger and farther than they ever have. If Saturday night’s Kentucky Classic championship performance against Florida International is any indication, the Cats are well on their way.

The Cats (3-0) defeated the visiting Golden Panthers 3-0 (25-22, 25-16, 25-13) to take the Kentucky Classic crown in front of 968 fans at Memorial Coliseum. After finishing in second place in the Kentucky Classic last season, the Cats made a point of winning their home tournament

Junior outside hitter Sarah Mendoza won the Kentucky Classic Most Valuable Player award Saturday night. The Cats swept Florida International in the championship match. Photo by Adam Wolffbrandt | Staff

“I thought we got better each match and that was important,” UK head coach Craig Skinner said. “I thought we started to play like we have been in practice in this Florida International match … I don’t think it mattered who was on the other side of the net, I thought we played great tonight.”

UK jumped out to an early 8-2 lead on FIU in the first set, thanks in part to four consecutive service points by senior setter Sarah Rumely, including one ace. After extending the lead to 23-13, only two points away from a first set victory, the Cats allowed FIU to get back into the match with a 9-1 run to make it 24-22. Sophomore outside hitter Ann Armes finished off FIU with the final kill to give the Cats the early one set lead.

“They’re a really good team, they’re really scrappy, they have good defense and offense,” junior outside hitter Sarah Mendoza said. “It kind of just shows us that no matter who your opponent is we can’t just get too comfortable, because we tend to do that. They could have easily beaten us.”

The Cats used a 10-2 run to take a commanding 19-11 lead in the second set and wouldn’t allow FIU to get back into it.

The third and final set was more of the same for UK. Behind a 15-5 run to begin the set, the Cats never allowed FIU within reasonable striking distance and the tournament champion was crowned.

“I think it’s a sign of experience and maturity,” Skinner said of finishing FIU out convincingly. “I’m not sure we did that all the time last year. I was really proud of the way we were able to continue applying pressure no matter the score. I told the team afterwards I was really impressed with the focus on each point.”

Mendoza led all Cats with 18 kills in the game, a new team high for the season. Sophomore middle blocker Becky Pavan followed with 11. Rumely led UK in assists, finishing with 35.
Junior middle blocker Lauren Rapp was named to the Kentucky Classic first team along with Pavan. Mendoza was named the tournament’s most valuable player, her first MVP award in her career.

Returning 11 letterwinners from a 26-6 squad last season, the Cats entered the early season tournament with high expectations. The Cats won the first two games of the tournament over Northwestern and Western Carolina, respectively, in convincing fashion, only dropping one set. Entering the final game of the tournament, the second half of a Saturday-double header, UK and FIU were unbeaten, making the winner of the game the tournament champion.

“We have some good teams we have to play here in the next couple weeks,” Skinner said. “It’s important we continue to get better because there’s going to be all kinds of pressure being put on us by other teams and especially when we get in the (Southeastern Conference).”