UK volleyball sweeps through Alabama and Auburn

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Staff report

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UK volleyball notched road wins against Auburn University (25-19, 25-20, 25-20), and the University of Alabama (15-25, 25-19, 25-19, 25-23) over the weekend.

UK garnered 60 digs in the three-set sweep of Auburn, the most digs the Cats have amassed in Craig Skinner’s tenure as head coach for a three-set game.

“I’m really excited about our defensive performance tonight,” Skinner said to UK Athletics. “Our blockers were more aggressive tonight and followed the game plan and executed it well. Our floor defense was also a difference-maker tonight.”

The Cats (10-3, 2-0 SEC) continue their winning streak of five games with the two wins, their second five-game win-streak of the season.

Senior outside hitter Whitney Billings logged her seventh double-double of the season and her third in the last four games.

Freshman outside hitter Anni Thomasson made her first start after missing Monday’s game against Morehead State University due to a right arm injury, and registered seven kills.

Saturday’s game marked the first SEC volleyball contest to take place in the Auburn Arena, which was previously home to Auburn basketball and gymnastics.

Auburn (9-4, 0-1 SEC) will welcome Alabama to Auburn Arena on Wednesday.

UK dropped the opening set against Alabama (12-3, 0-1 SEC) by 10 points before taking the final three sets of the match to take the victory.

Billings led the offensive side of the ball for the Cats on Sunday with 14 kills and a hit percentage of .448 in the match.

Junior outside hitter Lauren O’Conner also reached double-digit kills on the day with 11, including the game-winning kill.

UK will look to extend their winning-streak to six games as they take on the University of Ole Miss on Friday at 7 p.m. in Memorial Coliseum.