Kentucky Survives Five-Set Thriller Against Wisconsin, Advances to National Championship
In the biggest moment of the season, Kentucky volleyball found itself staring down adversity-and didn’t blink. After playing their worst set of the year to open the match, the Wildcats dug deep, regrouped, and delivered a gutsy five-set win over Wisconsin in the Final Four on Thursday night in Kansas City.
Set scores tell the story of a rollercoaster battle: 12-25, 25-22, 21-25, 26-24, 15-13. It wasn’t always pretty, but it was undeniably resilient.
With the win, Kentucky punches its ticket to the NCAA national championship match for just the second time in program history. Waiting for them is Texas A&M, a fellow SEC squad the Wildcats beat 3-1 earlier this season.
Sunday’s title match will be historic-it’s the first time two SEC teams will square off for the national crown.
And make no mistake: Kentucky earned every bit of this one.
A Nightmare Start, Then a Wake-Up Call
The opening set? Brutal.
Wisconsin came out firing, jumping to an 8-2 lead that forced an early timeout from head coach Craig Skinner. But things didn’t get better.
The Badgers were surgical, hitting a staggering .682 in the set. Kentucky, meanwhile, couldn’t find rhythm or resolve, committing seven attack errors and scoring just 12 points-their lowest output in a single set all season.
Mimi Colyer and Carter Booth each had seven kills in the first frame for Wisconsin, and Booth’s dominance at the net was a problem Kentucky hadn’t solved yet. It was a wake-up call, and the Wildcats needed to respond fast.
Kentucky Finds Its Footing in the Second Set
Respond they did. Set two was a different story.
Kentucky came out with purpose, jumping ahead 7-4. Wisconsin continued to press, even taking a 10-9 lead after rattling off three straight points, but service errors began to creep into the Badgers’ game, giving Kentucky the openings they needed.
Down 15-14 at the media timeout, the Wildcats stayed composed. A key 3-0 run broke a 20-20 tie, and Kentucky never looked back.
They closed the set 25-22, thanks to a more efficient attack (.258 hitting percentage) and a defense that finally started slowing Wisconsin down just enough. Match tied, 1-1-and momentum was shifting.
Wisconsin Regains Control in Set Three
The third set saw Wisconsin regain the upper hand. They jumped out to a 6-3 lead, then stretched it to 12-7, forcing another Kentucky timeout. The ‘Cats battled back, going on a 3-0 run to cut the deficit to 15-13, but every time Kentucky made a push, the Badgers had an answer.
A key moment came late in the set when a would-be tying point for Kentucky at 22-22 was overturned on a touch call. Instead of a deadlock, Wisconsin took the lead and closed it out, 25-21. The Badgers were now one set away from the championship match, and Kentucky found itself back in must-win territory.
Set Four: A Wild Swing of Momentum
If the fourth set felt like a tug-of-war, that’s because it was. Kentucky opened with a 4-2 lead, only to see Wisconsin rattle off four straight.
The teams traded 3-0 runs like boxers exchanging punches. A 3-0 burst from Kentucky gave the Wildcats a 13-12 lead, which they extended to 15-13 at the media timeout.
Brooklyn DeLeye came up big late, delivering a clutch kill to give Kentucky a 23-21 edge. Eva Hudson added another to bring up set point. But Wisconsin wasn’t done-they clawed back with three straight points to tie it at 24-24.
Pressure mounting? Sure.
But Kentucky didn’t flinch. Back-to-back points sealed the set 26-24 and forced a decisive fifth.
Fifth Set Grit: Hudson Delivers the Knockout
The final set in volleyball is a sprint to 15, and Kentucky exploded out of the blocks. After dropping the first point, the Wildcats rattled off four straight to force a Wisconsin timeout. That lead grew to 6-1, then 9-3, with the ‘Cats riding a wave of energy and execution.
Wisconsin, to its credit, didn’t fold. The Badgers trimmed the lead to 12-10, but Hudson came through with another kill to make it 13-10. After Wisconsin scored again, Hudson answered with yet another rocket to bring up match point.
Wisconsin made things tense with three straight points to tie it at 14-14, but there was no panic in Kentucky. Hudson-already with 29 kills on the night-delivered the final blow. A thunderous kill sealed it, 15-13, and sent the Wildcats into celebration mode.
Star Power and Steady Hands
Hudson was every bit the National Player of the Year finalist, finishing with 29 kills in a performance that will be talked about in Lexington for a long time. DeLeye added 15 kills and 14 digs, showing why she’s an All-American. Molly Tuozzo anchored the back row with 17 digs, and National Freshman of the Year Kassie O’Brien dished out 54 assists, running the offense with poise beyond her years.
Despite hitting just .056 in that disastrous first set, Kentucky rebounded to finish with a .254 team hitting percentage. Wisconsin actually hit better on the night (.375), led by a monster 32-kill outing from Colyer and 21 more from Booth-but it wasn’t enough.
One More to Go
Now, it’s on to Sunday. Kentucky vs.
Texas A&M. An all-SEC championship.
A shot at a second national title for a program that’s built itself into a powerhouse under Craig Skinner.
They’ve been tested. They’ve been pushed. And after Thursday night, they’ve proven they can survive the fire.
Tip your cap, Kentucky volleyball is one win away from the mountaintop.