No. 5 Cards Secure Four-Set Win Against No. 15 Creighton

Saturday, September 12

Houston, TX

2:00 p.m.

University of Louisville

8-1,0-0ACC

#15 Creighton

5-3,0-0Big East

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
Creighton	22	25	25	16	1
Louisville	25	27	23	25	3

Photo by: Mallory Peak | Louisville Athletics

No. 5 Cards Secure Four-Set Win Against No. 15 Creighton

September 12, 2026 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

The victory marks UofL’s fifth top-20 win of the season.

By: Zach Zsido

HOUSTON, Texas – The No. 5-ranked University of Louisville volleyball team secured its seventh straight win on Saturday afternoon, beating No. 15 Creighton in four sets (25-22, 27-25, 23-25, 25-16) in its second of three matches at the Rice Invitational in Houston.

Offensively, Louisville (8-1) tallied 64 kills on a .256 hitting percentage while adding five aces. On the defensive side, the Cards totaled 69 digs and 10 blocks, while holding Creighton (5-3) to 50 kills on a .169 hitting percentage.

Outside hitter Chloe Chicoine dominated on both ends of the floor, recording her third straight double-double with 21 kills and a season-high 13 digs. Opposite Kalyssa Blackshear also excelled for UofL, hitting .486 with 18 kills and no errors while adding three blocks defensively. Outside hitter Chloe Meester added 10 kills and three blocks of her own.

Setter Nayelis Cabello shined with 52 assists to facilitate the Cardinals' offensive efforts, while adding a pair of kills and an ace. Defensively, she recorded 12 digs and a pair of blocks to round out her stellar performance.

Five different Louisville players posted double-digit digs, led by libero Payton Petersen who tallied 15. Chicoine (13), Cabello (12), Kamden Schrand (11), and Hannah Kenny (11) all added to the Cards' defensive efforts. Addison Makun and Brooke Bultema locked down the Bluejays' offense, with Makun stuffing five blocks and Bultema tying her season high with four blocks.

SET 1
Louisville shot out to an early 5-1 lead that featured a pair of quick kills by Blackshear. The Bluejays scored two points of their own, before UofL pushed the pace with another 9-3 run, bringing the score to 14-6. The Cards spread the offense out with Cabello, Bultema, Chicoine, Blackshear, and Makun all earning kills during the scoring spree. The teams fought back and forth the second half of the set, with Creighton coming within two points of catching the Cards, 24-22. Blackshear ended the set how she started it, tallying a kill to secure the Cardinals the 25-22 win.

SET 2
The teams traded blows early in the second, with the Bluejays gaining a three-point edge at 9-6, their largest lead of the first two sets. The Cards rattled off five straight points to earn a two-point advantage, 11-9, but the teams continued to battle with Creighton taking the 15-14 lead heading into the media break. The back-and-forth affair continued, as neither team held more than a two-point edge the next 13 points. Chicoine fired off four straight kills for the Cards to help tie up the match at 21, forcing a Bluejays' timeout. The squads played even the next six points before Creighton edged ahead, earning set point at 25-24. UofL closed the set with three straight points, capped off by a solo block from Meester to claim the 27-25 victory.

SET 3
Creighton responded out of the gate, gaining an early 10-3 advantage. Louisville answered with a 7-2 run of its own, highlighted by a pair of Blackshear kills and a solo block by Makun. The Bluejays regained control heading into the media break with a 15-12 lead. Creighton maintained its momentum, gaining a six-point edge at 23-17, before UofL went on a 6-1 run to trim the lead to 24-23. The Cards' comeback efforts came too late, however, as Creighton scored to earn the 25-23 set win.

SET 4
Schrand opened the fourth with an ace, igniting an early 6-2 run by UofL to force a Creighton timeout. The Bluejays responded with four straight points, but the Cards answered with another 9-2 run to head into the media timeout up 15-8. Chicoine powered the Cardinals' offense with four more kills to help UofL gain an 11-point edge at 24-13, its largest lead of the match. Creighton scored three straight points before a tandem block by Cabello and Bultema secured Louisville the 25-16 victory.

Up Next
Louisville will close out the Rice Invitational against Northern Iowa tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m. ET in Houston. The contest will be streamed on ESPN+.