Kentucky volleyball outmatched by Florida in a 3-0 Sweep

Kentucky+Wildcats+libero+Eleanor+Beavin+%286%29+prepares+for+an+incoming+ball+during+the+No.+10+Kentucky+vs.+Tennessee+volleyball+match+on+Wednesday%2C+Nov.+16%2C+2022%2C+at+Memorial+Coliseum+in+Lexington%2C+Kentucky.+Photo+by+Isabel+McSwain+%7C+Staff

Isabel McSwain

Kentucky Wildcats libero Eleanor Beavin (6) prepares for an incoming ball during the No. 10 Kentucky vs. Tennessee volleyball match on Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022, at Memorial Coliseum in Lexington, Kentucky. Photo by Isabel McSwain | Staff

Isaiah Pinto, Reporter

No. 18 Kentucky volleyball (17-7) was swept by No. 10 Florida in Gainesville on Saturday.

Kentucky traveled to Florida in a series to decide which team will earn the SEC’s auto-bid to the NCAA Tournament following a 3-1 home victory against SEC rival Tennessee.

Adanna Rollins led Kentucky offensively with a game-high 13 kills with a .237 hitting percentage, more than doubling her teammates’ kill totals for the match. 

Throughout the match Kentucky’s offense struggled scoring, finishing with only a .135 hitting percent as a team. 

In the first set the Wildcats took an early lead but were plagued by four service errors that allowed the Gators to take the lead and pull away for a 25-18 set victory. 

Kentucky was more competitive in the second set with kills from Bella Bell and Rollins. The match eventually became tied at 20, but Florida responded, handing the Wildcats a 25-21 set loss. 

Through two sets UK’s team hitting percentage was .147, noticeably lacking the offensive firepower that would be needed to defeat the Gators. 

In the final set Kentucky got as close as a 18-14 lead to victory but, again, the Gators responded and slipped away, wrapping the match up with a 25-21 set victory. 

With the loss, Kentucky fell to 12-3 against SEC opponents while Florida set itself up as the favorite to win the SEC Championship with the victory.

The Wildcats finished the match with eight serving errors on the night, doubling their total against the Volunteers on Wednesday. 

Emma Grome led the Wildcats with 27 assists while Bell also led the squad with seven blocks in the match. 

The Wildcats finish their road trip on Sunday, Nov. 21, in a rematch with Gators at 2 p.m. EST, which will air live on SEC Network.