Sophomore outside hitter Brooklyn DeLeye set a new career high on Saturday night as the No. 9 Kentucky Volleyball team defeated Western Kentucky 3-1 (25-18, 19-25, 25-16, 25-16) at Historic Memorial Coliseum.
Kentucky secured the win by taking sets one, three, and four, thanks to an efficient offense that hit .293, led by DeLeye’s 26 kills. The Wildcats had three players in double figures for kills, with RS-freshman Brooke Bultema and senior outside hitter Erin Lamb each adding 11 kills.
Sophomore DS/Libero Molly Tuozzo donned the libero jersey for the first time in her career, logging a team-high 15 digs and helping to hold the Hilltoppers to a .178 hitting percentage. Eleanor Beavin contributed five digs and two assists, while Emma Grome recorded 44 assists, 12 digs, and two service aces.
The 2024 Bluegrass Battle will conclude on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. ET as No. 9 Kentucky hosts Morehead State inside Historic Memorial Coliseum. The match will be streamed live on SEC Network+ and the ESPN app.
How It Happened
Set One: 25-18
Kentucky jumped to an early lead, fueled by the back-row attacks from Brooklyn DeLeye. After DeLeye’s second kill pushed the lead to 10-6, WKU called an early timeout. Erin Lamb followed with another kill, and the Wildcats extended their lead to 22-12 on a Megan Wilson attack. Kentucky closed the set with a 25-18 victory, hitting .286, with five kills each from DeLeye and Lamb. Molly Tuozzo led with six digs.
Set Two: 19-25
Western Kentucky took control in the second set, dominating from start to finish. Kentucky struggled offensively, hitting under .100 while WKU hit over .300, leading to a 25-19 win for the Hilltoppers, evening the match at one set apiece.
Set Three: 25-16
Kentucky started strong in the third set, taking a 10-6 lead and forcing WKU into an early timeout. The Wildcats, led by DeLeye’s offense and Bultema’s defense, extended their lead to 15-9, prompting WKU to call another timeout. Kentucky maintained control with Tuozzo’s serving and Bultema’s offense, closing the set at 25-16 to take a 2-1 lead.
Set Four: 25-16
The fourth set began with both teams struggling to find an offensive rhythm, hitting under .100 through the first 20 points. Back-to-back aces from DeLeye broke the deadlock, giving Kentucky the first multi-point lead of the set. Bultema’s 11th kill extended the lead to 13-10, forcing WKU into a timeout. The Wildcats continued to build their lead, reaching a set-high seven points at 20-13 before closing out the match with a kill from Jordyn Dailey.
2024 Bluegrass Battle Standings (As of 8 p.m. ET, Saturday)
- Kentucky: 2-0 (6 sets won)
- Western Kentucky: 2-1 (7 sets won)
- Morehead State: 0-1 (1 set won)
- Northern Kentucky: 0-1 (1 set won)
Kentucky’s victory over WKU solidifies their position at the top of the Bluegrass Battle standings as they prepare for their final match of the tournament.
