Got some work to do, some catching up to do, more of more. The list goes on.
The University of Louisville volleyball team just needed to win one more set to wrap up it fifth consecutive win over Kentucky. Leading two sets to one, with 10,787 volleyball fans cheering them on at the KFC Yum! Center. But then suddenly the bottom falls out, they are unable to respond the final two sets and drop a 3-2 decision to Kentucky.
Something had happened or not happened. Whatever it was resulting in leading to an almost total collapse, the likes of which is foreign to UofL volleyball tradition.
In the fourth set, the Cardinals won the first two points of the set before collapsing. Kentucky zoomed to a 10-4 lead and on a 5-0 run before UofL took a timeout. UK extended its lead, going up 16-6. UK would crush UofL 25-12.
It was obvious UofL had no gas left in the tank. The Wildcats began the fifth set on a 4-0 run and quickly pulled ahead 8-2 and would ultimately prevail 15-6. An ugly finish. Cara Cresse was credited with eight kills and six blocks, mostly in the first two sets. However, she was pulled halfway through the fourth set, seemingly frustrated and exhausted.
Some occasional flashes of positivity for UofL. Hannah Sherman with a career-high 11 blocks, adding nine kills and one dig. Outside hitter Payton Peterson with her fourth double-double of the season with 14 kills and 11 digs.
Pretty apparent that the glow from having strongly competed for a national championship has faded, no longer a suggestive intimidation factor. Those days are in the past, and there’s a new reality. Time to toughen up. Considerably.
