No. 9 Kentucky came out strong on Friday night, winning the first two sets against No. 7 Penn State on the opening day of the 2024 Kentucky Invitational. However, the Nittany Lions rallied from 0-2 down to take the final three sets and win 3-2 (19-25, 23-25, 26-24, 25-22, 15-8) at Historic Memorial Coliseum.
Sophomore outside hitter Brooklyn DeLeye was the standout for Kentucky, recording 20 kills on 66 swings with just six errors. She added seven digs and an assist. The Wildcats’ defense was solid through the first two sets, but Penn State improved offensively, increasing their hitting percentage by over .100 from the end of the second set to the conclusion of the match.
The loss drops Kentucky to 3-2 on the season, while Penn State, ranked seventh nationally, improves to 4-0.
Kentucky Invitational action continues on Saturday with Ball State facing Penn State at 5 p.m. ET, followed by Kentucky playing James Madison at 7:30 p.m. ET. Both matches will be held at Historic Memorial Coliseum, with free admission and the Kentucky match airing on SEC Network+.
Set One: Kentucky 25, Penn State 19
Kentucky came out firing in the first set, fueled by excellent defense and efficient offensive execution. The Wildcats led 13-8 after a kill from DeLeye and two aces by Erin Lamb. Kentucky’s lead extended to six points at 17-11 following a block by Emma Grome and Brooke Bultema. Despite Penn State closing the gap to within two points, Kentucky finished strong, winning six of the final eight points to take the set 25-19. DeLeye led the Wildcats with five kills as Kentucky hit .231 and limited Penn State to a .176 hitting percentage.
Set Two: Kentucky 25, Penn State 23
Penn State started fast in the second set, but Kentucky clawed back, going on a 6-3 run to take a 15-13 lead into the media timeout, highlighted by Bultema’s fifth kill. After a Penn State push, Kentucky responded by winning three of the next four points and took a 20-19 lead. A successful challenge for Kentucky and a service error from Penn State on Kentucky’s third set point secured the 25-23 win, giving the Wildcats a 2-0 lead.
Set Three: Penn State 26, Kentucky 24
Kentucky led for much of a tightly contested third set, with the Wildcats up 17-14 before Penn State made their move. A 6-1 run by the Nittany Lions, capitalized by Kentucky’s service reception errors, forced the Wildcats into a timeout at 23-20. Kentucky fought back, tying the set at 24-24 after an ace from Eleanor Beavin, but Penn State took the final two points to win 26-24, extending the match to a fourth set.
Set Four: Penn State 25, Kentucky 22
Penn State dominated the early stages of the fourth set, building a lead as large as seven points at 17-10, with Kentucky struggling offensively. The Wildcats managed to close the gap with a 7-3 run but couldn’t complete the comeback, as Penn State held on for a 25-22 win, forcing a decisive fifth set.
Set Five: Penn State 15, Kentucky 8
Penn State controlled the fifth set from the start, jumping out to a 9-3 lead and never looking back. The Nittany Lions closed out the match with a 15-8 victory in the fifth set to complete the comeback win.
Kentucky will look to bounce back in their next match against James Madison on Saturday.
