UK volleyball goes 8-0 in SEC with win over the Aggies

Kentucky+volleyball+players+celebrate+a+point+during+the+game+against+Tennessee+on+Thursday%2C+Oct.+10%2C+2018+at+Memorial+Coliseum+in+Lexington%2C+Ky.+Kentucky+won+3+sets+to+1.+Photo+by+Jordan+Prather+%7C+Staff

Kentucky volleyball players celebrate a point during the game against Tennessee on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2018 at Memorial Coliseum in Lexington, Ky. Kentucky won 3 sets to 1. Photo by Jordan Prather | Staff

Braden Ramsey

Looking to stretch their win streak to eleven and stay unbeaten in SEC play, the Wildcats headed to College Station to take on Texas A&M.

In their first five-set match since the first of September, Kentucky withstood two different deficits from the Aggies and gutted out a 3-2 victory.

You could tell that the match was going to be a dogfight, as the two squads went back and forth early on. After the Cats knotted up the score 17-17, A&M went on an 8-2 run to take set one 25-19, and the early 1-0 advantage.

Kentucky responded with a 25-19 set victory of their own. They did so without one long string of points, but taking them a few at a time down the stretch of set two. This steady assault made it 1-1 heading to the third set. 

It looked like Kentucky was going to build off their momentum from the second set, as they raced out to a 5-2 lead. But the Aggies answered, claiming the next seven and eight of nine to build a comfortable margin. One last mini-run when the Cats cut it to one was enough for them to hold on 25-22, and retake the lead 2-1.

With their backs against the wall, Kentucky managed to do what they did in the second set: take a few points at a time. This consistent onslaught enabled them to play with a decent-sized lead for the duration of the fourth set, and the 25-20 win sent the game to a deciding set five.

The Cats put it all together when it counted, opening with a 9-1 spurt and claiming the set for the conference win. Their record improved to 14-4 overall, and 8-0 in the SEC. Texas A&M fell to 12-9 overall, sporting a 5-4 SEC record.

Three Kentucky players had double-digit kills, with Leah Edmond managing 23 of them to pace the Cats once again. Brooke Morgan and Caitlyn Cooper each had ten kills, while Madison Lilley added 51 assists.

Next up for the team is a date with the Georgia Bulldogs. The game is on Friday in Athens, with game time set at 7:00 p.m.