No. 3 Kentucky volleyball (3-2) fell 3-0 (25-19, 25-22, 25-23) to No. 7 Pittsburgh (5-2) when the pair squared off in game one of the Shriners Children’s Showdown at the Net in Fort Worth, Texas.
The Panthers controlled the match from start to finish, holding off late Kentucky rallies in both the second and third sets to secure the sweep.
This is Kentucky’s second loss to a top 10 team early this season as the Cats lost to No. 1 Nebraska in five sets earlier in the year.
However, this is nothing new for head coach Criag Skinner as he’s known for giving his team tough matches to start the year. This helps prepare his teams for SEC play and has been successful as Kentucky has won the last eight SEC championships.
The bright spot in the Pitt loss was star outside hitter Brooklyn DeLeye recorded her 1,000th career kill in the third set of the match to become the 19th Wildcat to achieve this mark in just her junior season.
DeLeye has improved every year, winning SEC freshman of the year to SEC Player of the Year in her first two seasons at Kentucky. DeLeye looks primed to have another big season for the Cats.
Purdue transfer Eva Hudson led Kentucky with 15 kills in the match and has been a really good duo along with DeLeye early in the 2025 season.
Kentucky will now turn the page quickly after the loss as it prepares for another top 10 matchup, taking on No.10 SMU in its home opener in Historic Memorial Coliseum.
