Kentucky volleyball didn’t just open the NCAA Tournament, they lit the fuse on what could be a special December run.
In front of a fired-up Memorial Coliseum crowd, the Wildcats rolled past Wofford in straight sets (25–11, 25–19, 25–12), flashing the kind of polish, depth, and “don’t-even-think-about-upsetting-us” energy that only title contenders carry.
Kentucky entered the night as the No. 1 seed in the Lexington Regional and the No. 2 overall seed nationally. After 66 digs, 45 kills, and a blistering third set that hit .438, they walked off looking every bit the part.
Fans came to watch a sweep. Kentucky delivered a statement.
Kentucky volleyball controls every set and never lets Wofford breathe
From the opening serve, Kentucky made it clear that nothing about this match would be complicated. The Wildcats jumped out to a 13–6 lead in the first frame with Eva Hudson pounding early kills and the defense suffocating Wofford into a negative hitting percentage.
Everything about Kentucky’s rhythm felt intentional:
- Clean passing.
- Tempo in system.
- Smart ball distribution.
- Relentless pressure.
Kassie O’Brien orchestrated it all with 40 assists, constantly shifting angles and pulling Wofford’s block out of position. This wasn’t just a setter running an offense,this was a setter dictating terms.
Brooklyn DeLeye was phenomenal. She finished with 14 kills on .419 hitting and never looked rattled. When Kentucky needed a momentum punch, she delivered it. When they needed a closer, she handled that too.
If DeLeye was the engine, the defense was the heartbeat.
Molly Tuozzo turned in a sensational 19-dig performance and the rest of the back row met the moment. DeLeye (11 digs), Berezowitz (13), and O’Brien (12) helped the Cats finish with 66 digs.
Wofford simply couldn’t get anything clean.
Every swing felt rushed.
Every rally felt uphill.
Every scoring chance felt threatened.
By the third set, Kentucky’s tempo overwhelmed the Terriers. The Wildcats jumped to a 10–4 lead and never looked back, closing the match with confidence and a crowd that could already feel the momentum shifting toward something bigger.
Next Up: UCLA, and a match worth every bit of hype
Now things get fun.
Kentucky faces No. 8 seed UCLA at 7 p.m. ET in Memorial Coliseum, a program with tournament pedigree, a physical front line, and the kind of battle-tested group that makes second-round matches must-see volleyball.
The Bruins survived a five-set thriller against Georgia Tech, while Kentucky barely broke a sweat.
If the Wildcats play like they did Thursday, Lexington might be hosting more than just the first weekend.
Final Four dreams are alive and the Cats are ready.