Kentucky vs. Louisville, volleyball edition takes center stage on Wednesday
LEXINGTON, Ky. ( FOX 56 ) — The Kentucky volleyball team now frequently enters the season with high expectations, since winning the NCAA national championship back in 2020.
It entered this season the same way, but then lost to No. 2 Nebraska to open the year in the AVCA Showcase. The Wildcats have also lost to then-ranked No. 7 Penn State and No. 7 Purdue.
The top 10 opponents are not going anywhere for Kentucky. Up next is No. 4 Louisville on Wednesday and No. 2 Stanford on Saturday.
Head coach Craig Skinner schedules this difficult rundown knowing it is building his team to be battle tested for later in the season when it matters most. So the three early-season losses are coming with valuable experience.
But in The Battle of the Bluegrass, that all gets thrown out the window. Louisville has won the last three matches against Kentucky, so the Wildcats will certainly be amped up and ready to go when the rivalry is renewed on Wednesday in Lexington.
"You always see a little more pep in the step and, you know, a little more focus and practice and and drive. And they know it's going to be hard. I mean, Louisville is a great team. And, you know, we've been playing great teams all preseason. And, but, you know, just it is another match, but they always add a little extra juice to it," Skinner said.
College volleyball is growing in popularity as a whole, with ticket sales and television ratings higher than they have ever been. These ranked showdowns are pitting some of the best athletes in the country against each other, and Kentucky has been at the center of a number of those matches.
"That's what college sports are all about. You know, I mean, you want rivalries. You want, you know, great matchups, top ten matchups. you want your players to look forward to competing against, you know, friends and foes that they've had over the years. And, you know, and what a great, you know, you know, opportunity for our fans to see high level against a rivalry within the state. And, you know, I can't wait," Skinner said.
The match between UK and UofL begins at 7 p.m. on Wednesday at the newly-renovated Historic Memorial Coliseum.
