Kentucky volleyball split its opening-weekend matches. It only gets harder from here.
Given what the Kentucky volleyball program had to replace from the 2021 to the 2022 season, an adjustment period was always likely from the Wildcats.
After losing the top two performers in total kills, kills per set, total attacks, total points and points per set last season (Madi Skinner and Alli Stumler), it was clear a new-look system would be in place for the Cats in 2022.
Head coach Craig Skinner must also incorporate six new players on the UK roster this season (two true freshmen, a redshirt freshman back from injury and three transfers).
Driving all of these points home was the opening-weekend performance by the five-time defending SEC champions.
For the first time since 2018, Kentucky lost its season-opening match, dropping a five-set contest to Marquette on Friday night inside Memorial Coliseum.
Last year, the Cats didn’t play a five-set match until mid-September. This year, the Cats went the distance right from the start.
“You’ve got to be in a five-set match to know what it feels like, so we got one,” Skinner said.
On Sunday evening, the Cats rebounded and got in the win column with a straight-sets victory over Ohio at home.
Now 1-1 on the young season, an incredibly challenging month of September awaits Skinner and the new-look Wildcats.
This month, Kentucky will play the teams ranked No. 1 (Nebraska), No. 3 (Wisconsin), No. 4 (Louisville), No. 18 (Creighton) and No. 24 (Southern California) in the preseason coaches’ poll.
Two of those matches will come on Saturday, as Kentucky plays Creighton and Southern California in a same-day doubleheader in Omaha, Nebraska. Then, UK will host each of Wisconsin, Louisville and Nebraska in a 10-day span inside Memorial Coliseum.
With these daunting tests ahead, let’s take stock of UK volleyball after two matches.
Experienced transfer shines
It’s early, but experienced transfer Adanna Rollins figures to be a big part of the Kentucky offense as the Cats seek to replace the production of Skinner and Stumler.
Formerly of Minnesota and Penn State, Rollins, a senior outside hitter, arrived in Lexington with four prior seasons of college volleyball played in the daunting Big Ten.
Rollins was the standout performer from the Marquette match, recording a team-high 28 kills while hitting a team-best 47.3%. The offensive production from UK was more balanced against Ohio, but Rollins’ 34 total kills this season are 10 more than any other Wildcat.
“I’m a fifth-year, so I’ve been through the ropes a little bit. I’m just here to help the girls out and give my wisdom and things like that,” Rollins said after her 28-kill performance against Marquette. “Since I’ve already (transferred once) it was a little bit easier this time because I knew how to adapt and get to know people a little bit faster. Last time when I transferred, I didn’t really do that as well, so this time that’s a difference.”
The boatload of UK’s kills through two matches have come from a quartet of Rollins (34), sophomore outside hitter Erin Lamb (24), junior middle blocker Elise Goetzinger (20) and junior opposite Reagan Rutherford (20).
During Kentucky volleyball Media Day this month, Skinner said he wanted opponents to have to spend more time scouting the Wildcats on tape this season compared to 2021.
One way to ensure that? Having multiple players be offensive threats.
After shaky debut, defense settles in
Friday’s season-opening loss to Marquette came as the Golden Eagles hit at a 30% or better rate in four of the match’s five sets.
On Sunday, Ohio hit at a 9.9% rate for the entire match as the Kentucky defense recorded seven blocks in three sets and made a habit of disrupting the Bobcats when they went for kills.
Sophomore libero Eleanor Beavin (the 2021 SEC Libero of the Year as a freshman) has already shown her defensive capabilities though eight sets this season: Beavin averaged 3.66 digs per set last season, and is at 3.13 digs per set in 2022.
Daunting schedule will reveal more about the Cats
As referenced earlier, the month of September will serve as a thorough examination of Kentucky’s ability.
In addition to marquee matchups against Creighton, Southern California, Wisconsin, Louisville and Nebraska, Kentucky will also begin SEC play with two home matches against LSU and a midweek trip to Missouri.
The next few weeks will vault Kentucky to the top of the national RPI (rating percentage index) rankings, even if it comes with the potential of Kentucky sliding down the top 25 poll.
“I think it gives us a lot of experience. We’ve been preparing all summer to play high-level games,” Rutherford said after Sunday’s win over Ohio. “Obviously, the first few points are going to be intimidating, we’re in a different gym . . . but once it comes down to it, it’s who makes less errors and we’ve prepared for that.”
College volleyball underway across Kentucky
In addition to Kentucky, college volleyball got underway for Bellarmine, Eastern Kentucky, Morehead State, Murray State, Northern Kentucky, Louisville and Western Kentucky over the weekend.
Bellarmine (2-1), Eastern Kentucky (2-1), Morehead State (2-0), Murray State (2-0), Louisville (3-0) and Western Kentucky (3-0) all got off to winning starts.
Northern Kentucky (0-3) is the only Division I volleyball program in the state currently with a losing record.
In the preseason coaches’ poll, Louisville (No. 4), Kentucky (No. 11) and Western Kentucky (No. 21) were all ranked.
