Volleyball Falls To Kentucky In Five Games
July 25, 2000 | Women's Volleyball
September 21, 1999
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Jaclyn Homan had 21 kills to lead Kentucky to a 3-2 win over Louisville in volleyball action last night at Memorial Coliseum.
The win was the first for Kentucky in the intrastate series in 11 matches dating back to 1993. Louisville falls to 2-8 with Kentucky's record improving to 7-4.
"These matches are always close and it is such a good rivalry," said U of L head coach Leonid Yelin.
In the first game, the Cardinals built a 10-4 lead before the Wildcats came back to tie it at 12 on a hitting error by the Cards. The Cats took their first lead a point later when outside hitter Kelly McClain was blocked. The teams exchanged timeouts with the score knotted at 13. Katie Eisermann recorded an ace for the 14th point and a Louisville error ended the game at 15-13.
"Kentucky was blocking us well in the first game, " said Leonid Yelin, U of L head coach.
Louisville rebounded from the first game, jumping out to a 7-1 lead. The Wildcats made a run pulling to within two at 9-7 when Louisville was called for being in the net. After Yelin called time out, Louisville outscored Kentucky 6-2 for the win.
"We got some blocking and our hitting was improved in the second game, " said Yelin, whose team hit .276 to Kentucky's .088.
The third game stayed close before Kentucky's blocking began to take its toll and the Wildcats ran off six unanswered point to go up 9-5 when Stacey Mercer was blocked. Louisville made a 6-point run powered by four kills by McClain and a block by Mercer and McClain. A Kentucky time out helped derail the run and the Cats were able to go ahead 13-10 on a kill by Jennifer Reed. Louisville tied at 13 on a solo block by setter Emily Roberson and then went to game point on a kill by McClain. Roberson had the game winning point with a tip to the middle.
Kentucky used a late run to win the fourth game after tying at nine. An ace by Eisermann sparked a 6-3 edge for the Cats to force a fifth game, making it the first time in three meetings that Kentucky was not swept.
In rally scoring in the fifth scoring stayed tight for the first eight points.
Kentucky spurted to a three point lead to go up 11-8. Louisville got their ninth point on a kill by McClain but could score only once more.
Sonja Percan, who missed last weekend with a knee and foot injury tied a school record with 32 kills. McClain had a career-best 27 kills to lead the Cards.
