“Leah Edmond…POINT KENTUCKY!” That was the theme for much of the UK volleyball game Friday afternoon against the Cleveland State VIkings. The Cats cruised to a 3-0 clean sweep victory in the first of three games of the Bluegrass Battle in the always toasty Memorial Coliseum. 

The first set started as a stalemate, but as the set went on, Kentucky’s size was making a difference and they went on a 13-5 run to end the set, led by Lead Edmond who had 10 kills (14 total) in the first set (one less than CSU in the set). When asked after the game about herself getting going in the first set, Edmond responded with a laugh.

“To be honest I had no clue what was going on, I was just clicking,” Edmond said. She then spoke about how things opened up and she was able to take advantage.

The second set was much the same for Kentucky, although it wasn’t as much Edmond as it was the whole team getting in the action. Leah Meyer, a grad transfer from Duke, really started a run for Kentucky in the set with a kill to even it up at 10-10, which led to a 15-9 run to win the set. Meyer didn’t shy away from explaining the difference between playing in Duke blue and Kentucky blue.

 “Well, for me it’s a little higher of a level of competition, and just the expectations we have here at this program are really really high and I really appreciate that…” Meyer said. 

Her presence has made a clear difference on the team and made a difference in the game as she finished with eight kills. When asked about her presence and how well she has blended in, she agreed, saying, “I honestly feel like I have (blended in) and I talked to a couple of girls and I feel like I’ve been here for a couple of years already…” Meyer said. 

She also mentioned how much the other girls laugh with her about her seeming to be here so long and said with a smile on her face, “So it’s been good.” 

The third set really opened up for Kentucky as they put the hammer on the Vikings and won 25-9– the set actually started with an Edmond kill. Kentucky was so dominant in the set they held Cleveland State to a -.167 hitting percentage. The Vikings finished with a .085 hitting percentage total, while the Cats had a .290 hitting percentage and .350 for the game. Edmond led the way with a .500 hitting percentage. 

Kentucky had the size advantage and the tools to get a sweep in the first game of the Bluegrass Battle, and look to do much of the same Friday night against Florida Gulf Coast. The Cats will take on the Eagles at 8:30 p.m.