Fresh off of their first SEC win against Ole Miss, the Lady Vols travel to Lexington on Wednesday to face the No. 18 Kentucky Wildcats for the second time this season.
The first time these two teams met, the Wildcats (18-4, 8-2 SEC) swept Tennessee in a one-sided match from the start, leading to an eventual 13-25 blowout in the final set for the Lady Vols.
Tennessee (8-15, 1-8) has reason to be optimistic, however, after finding its footing in a sweep victory over Ole Miss at Thompson-Boling Arena on Sunday. The Lady Vols are hoping to continue the turnaround after they dropped their first eight SEC matches.
Head coach Rob Patrick believes his team has reason to be encouraged by its win over the Rebels.
“Obviously this is going to give us a little momentum, because volleyball is such a momentum sport, and give our players some confidence,” Patrick said.
The Lady Vols enter the match with more momentum than Kentucky, who has dropped two of its last three after winning 11 in a row, including seven matches against SEC opponents.
Despite that, the Wildcats do have several advantages heading into the game, such as being at home, where they are 10-2 on the season and 3-1 in SEC play, with the one loss coming to LSU.
On the other side of the coin, the Lady Vols are a measly 1-7 on the road, and winless in SEC road games.
Kentucky is the first opponent that UT has faced for a second time, so Patrick and his team know what to expect.
“One of the things we didn’t do great [last time] was control the ball when they hit the ball and our digs,” said Patrick, recalling his team’s first loss to the Wildcats on Oct. 10. “If we can control the ball on their first attack and are able to transition, I think we can put some pressure on them.”
Patrick has said consistency has been his team’s weakness all season, and playing Ole Miss was the first time his team had played a consistent SEC match all season.
Channeling that consistency into a road win in Rupp Arena is the biggest task that the Lady Vols have faced this season, and getting that win begins at the net.
In the first contest between the two, there was a matchup along the net that Tennessee lost, as they were out-blocked 9-5 and surrendered a .317 hitting percentage.
“We are going to have to affect Kentucky at the net,” Patrick said. “Our blocking is going to have to continue to be consistent.”
The trench war between the front lines may be the most important matchup of the game. The Lady Vols will be spearheaded by senior Shealyn Kolosky, who has never won a game in Lexington.
“It’s a little bit different atmosphere playing there than playing here,” Kolosky said on making her last regular season trip to Kentucky. “But I think we’re ready for it.”
