No.9 Kentucky (0-1) was defeated 3-1 by No. 2 Nebraska (1-0) when the pair squared off in game one of the AVCA First Serve Showcase at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky on Tuesday.

In set one, Nebraska would start with a 3-1 lead at the beginning of the set before a block and kill by Brooklyn DeLeye would propel UK to a 4-3 lead. This would turn into a 6-3 run that saw the Cats get off to a great 7-3 start.

Nebraska would have its moments as the set progressed, but the Wildcats found a way to separate each time, leading 15-11 midway through the set.

Then, however, Nebraska got scorching hot, using a 5-1 run to tie the set at 16 before another 4-0 run would give it a 21-19 lead in the late stages of the set. After a long rally put the Huskers up 24-21, the Cornhuskers would put the finishing touches on the set with one more kill, winning 25-21.

Back for set two, Nebraska would start hot, going on a 4-0 stretch that saw it lead 5-2. 

After keeping the Wildcats at a distance, the Huskers would force UK head coach Craig Skinner to call a timeout early. The Wildcats would then claw back thanks to Erin Lamb, eventually tying the set at 14.

The Huskers would finally crack with an attack error that gave the Wildcats their first lead of the set since leading 1-0. The set would go back and forth before, while leading 23-22, the Huskers appeared to yet again tie the set, but a challenge by Skinner on a touch block would be upheld, meaning Kentucky had the set point 24-22.

The Wildcats would go on to win the set 25-22 off a big kill by Lamb, tying the match 1-1 with the only set victory of the night for UK.

“Knowing this is my last season of playing volleyball, it’s definitely put something under my belt,” Lamb said. “Just to go out there and do everything that’s I can to help this team win.”

In the third set Nebraska would yet again heat up early, shooting out to a 4-1 lead to start the set. The Huskers would keep the momentum going forward, forcing a Wildcat timeout with the score at 10-6.

Nebraska would continue to dominate coming out of the timeout, extending the lead to 13-6 and forcing another Kentucky timeout.

The Huskers’ run would extend to 7-0, giving them a massive 15-6 lead before finally it was finally stopped by a DeLeye kill and an ace by Lamb.

The Wildcats kept pace with the Huskers for the rest of the set, but the deficit was far too big and the Huskers never let up, leading to a 25-15 set win for Nebraska.

Heading into the fourth and final set, Nebraska would continue its trend of big early leads, using a 5-0 run to take a 5-1 lead at the start.

The Wildcats would rally back and cut the lead down to two (10-8), however the Huskers would regain control and be the first to 15, leading 15-10. Kentucky would keep pace with the opposition, even forcing a timeout while trailing 19-15 and cutting the lead down to as many as three, but ultimately, with the match point at 24-18, Nebraska would hang on 25-20, winning the set and winning the match 3-1.

The Wildcats will look to regroup on Friday in their home opener against Northern Kentucky in Memorial Coliseum. The match will kick off the 2024 Bluegrass Battle.