No. 1 seed Kentucky volleyball (27-2, 15-0 SEC) takes down No. 8 seed UCLA (19-13, 12-8 Big Ten) 3-1 in the second round of the 2025 NCAA Volleyball Tournament.

In set one, each team forced set point three times before Kentucky finished it at 30-28. Kentucky gained a comfortable lead in set two with a 7-0 run, before winning the set 25-16. Kentucky forced match point three times in the third set, UCLA forced set point four times before eventually avoiding the sweep with a 30-28 win. Kentucky dominated set four, hitting .643% in the set, to secure the victory with a 25-17 set win.

The Wildcats had a team hitting percentage of .400%, with 77 kills. Brooklyn DeLeye led the charge with 30 kills, tying her career high. Eva Hudson had 27 kills and 10 digs for her ninth double-double of the season.

It was the first time Kentucky has had 75 or more kills in a match since Oct. 8, 2022.

UCLA hit .258% as a team with 63 kills. The Bruins made 21 attack errors, five service errors and four block errors.

Kassie O’Brien had a career-high 60 assists, her fifth straight match with 40 or more. She also had 14 digs to record her team-leading 10th double-double this season.

O’Brien became the first Kentucky player to record 60 or more assists since Madison Lilley on April 22, 2021.

Molly Tuozzo recorded the first double-double of her career, recording a career-high 10 assists and 15 digs.

Set One

UCLA began the match with a 5-1 run to take an early lead, the Cats responded with a 4-0 run to even the set.

The Wildcats pulled ahead 10-7 with another 4-0 run.

The Bruins evened the set at 12-12 with a 4-1 run, two of those points coming from Kentucky errors.

Lizzie Carr and Asia Thigpen assisted on a block that sent UK into the media timeout with a 15-13 lead.

UCLA called its first timeout of the set after Kentucky extended its lead to 18-16.

The Bruins used a 5-1 run to regain the lead, forcing Kentucky’s first timeout of the set.

Kentucky came out of the timeout with a 2-0 run to take a 22-21 lead. UCLA took its second timeout after a service ace from DeLeye

Another 2-0 run put UCLA back on top 23-22. Kentucky took its second timeout after UCLA extended this lead to 24-23, forcing set point.

Back-to-back kills from Hudson gave Kentucky set point at 25-24.

UCLA responded with a 2-0 run to force Bruins set point at 26-25.

Kentucky had yet another 2-0 run to force set point, this time at 27-26.

The Bruins forced set point at 28-27, before Kentucky mounted a 3-0 run to win set one 30-28.

After trading 2-0 runs for six different instances of set point, Kentucky prevailed to take a 1-0 match lead.

Kentucky’s set winning 3-0 run came from three DeLeye kills, she ended the set with a team-leading nine kills. Hudson had eight with a .421% hitting percentage.

Set Two

Kentucky pulled out to a 3-1 lead in set two before UCLA took a 6-5 lead.

The Wildcats then mounted a 6-1 run to take a 11-7 lead.

Kentucky took a 15-12 lead into the media timeout.

UCLA called its first timeout of the set after Kentucky came out of the media timeout with a 2-0 run.

Kentucky carried its momentum through the timeout and came out with a 3-0 run, forcing UCLA to take its second timeout.

This 6-0 run, that spanned over three timeouts, gave Kentucky a 20-12 lead.

Kentucky put together a 3-0 run to take set two 25-16, taking a 2-0 lead in the match.

The Wildcats hit .464% in the second set, holding UCLA to .194%.

Kentucky had three service aces and three blocks in the set.

DeLeye led the Cats in kills once again with five in the set, Hudson had four.

Set Three

A service ace from Trinity Ward capped off a 3-0 Kentucky run, giving the Cats a 5-2 lead early in set three.

UCLA mounted a 4-1 run, evening the set at 7-7, before taking a 10-9 lead.

The Cats responded with a 3-0 run that put them back on top 12-10.

Carr broke a 14-14 tie with a kill that sent Kentucky into the media timeout with a one point lead.

UCLA called its first timeout of set three after Kentucky pulled ahead 19-18 with a Hudson Kill.

A kill from DeLeye put the Cats ahead 23-21, leading to UCLA calling its second timeout of the set in hopes of avoiding the sweep.

Kentucky forced match point at 24-22, but UCLA used a 2-0 run to even the set at 24-24.

UCLA avoided the sweep once again, a 2-0 Bruin run resulted in set point and forced a Kentucky timeout.

The Cats tied it up after the timeout, but the Bruins forced set point again on the following rally.

Hudson spoiled set point with a kill that evened the match at 27-27. UCLA forced set point on the next rally again.

The Wildcats tied it up once again, this time at 28-28.

UCLA finally put together a 2-0 run to take set three 30-28, avoiding the sweep.

Set Four

Kentucky began the fourth set with a 5-2 run, fueled by three kills from DeLeye.

UCLA evened the set at 5-5, with back-to-back service aces from Marianna Singletary capping off a 3-0 run.

Kentucky pulled ahead 10-8 with a 3-0 run after back-to-back kills from Hudson.

Kentucky went into the media timeout on a 3-0 run, giving the Cats a 15-11 lead.

UCLA called its first timeout of the set trailing 17-13.

The Wildcats came out of the timeout with a 4-1 run to pull ahead 21-14, forcing another UCLA timeout.

Kentucky secured the match victory with a 25-17 victory in the fourth set.

As a No.1 seed, Kentucky will continue to host matches in Historic Memorial Coliseum until the Cats are eliminated or advance to the Final Four in Kansas City, Missouri.

The exact time and date of Kentucky’s next match has yet to be announced, but it will be played in Historic Memorial Coliseum against either No. 4 seed Southern California or California Polytechnic. The match will take place on either Dec. 11, or Dec. 12.