Big day for college volleyball in America, a milestone day. The first college volleyball match to be broadcast nationally on a regular network. ABC-TV broadcasting fourth-ranked University of Louisville volleyball versus fifth-ranked Nebraska at the KFC Yum! Center.
Another in a continuing number of milestones for Louisville volleyball, with a record crowd of 14,126 people packing the first two levels of the arena and dozens of people scattered around in the rafters of the three-level arena. A far cry from the 1,100-seat L&N Arena on Belknap Campus. Alumni day for former UofL volleyball players taking in a crowd they could never have imagined just a few years ago.
Louisville head basketball coaches Pat Kelsey and Jeff Walz on the sidelines, in floor seats, in wide-eyed envy of the remarkable turnout for a non-revenue sport. Bring it on, UofL fans, keep proving that the future of Louisville athletics is rosier than ever. Lights shining brilliantly, an opportunity for this Louisville volleyball team to take the dream to the next level.
That wouldn’t happen today, at least not on the court. The Cardinals were outmanned and outclassed from beginning to end on what may have been a record TV viewing audience. The bad news, the victims of a 3-0 sweep to one of the sport’s long-time perennial powers by scores of 25-15, 25-17 and 25-20.
Outside hitter Anna DeBeear knocked down 12 kills and hit .308 for the Cardinals while outside hitter Sofia Diaz had eight kills. Libero Elena Scott had a match-high 19 digs and Phekran Kong and Reese Robins each had two blocks.
Unfortunately, UofL, now 8-2 on the season, was hitting only .133 in it final non-conference matchup. Nebraska was at its best, hitting .305 with seven aces and 36 kills. The Cornhuskers are now sit at 10-1 and will eclipse UofL in the polls this week.
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