Alabama
Kentucky
Volleyball Falls to No. 18 Kentucky in Straight Sets
11/11/2011 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Nov. 11, 2011
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The Alabama Crimson Tide volleyball team suffered a 3-0 (20-25, 22-25, 20-25) Southeastern Conference loss to the No. 18 ranked Kentucky Wildcats on Friday night from Foster Auditorium. With the loss, Alabama falls to 11-17 overall and 4-13 in SEC play. The Wildcats improve to 23-4 overall and 14-2 in conference play.
Alabama got a match-high 13 kills from junior outside hitter Kayla Fitterer. Fitterer had a .324 hitting percentage, as the Tide posted a .156 hitting mark as a team. Senior setter Stephanie Riley notched her ninth double-double of the night with 26 assists and 15 digs. Cristina Arenas led the Tide with 16 digs.
The Wildcats reached double figures in kills with Ashley Frazier leading the way with 12. Whitney Billings and Ann Armes had 11 kills each, with Billings posting a .435 hitting mark and Armes had a .421 percentage. Kentucky had a .291 hitting percentage in the match, with Christine Hartmann posting a match-high .545 hitting percentage. Hartman also added a match-best 38 assists.
In the opening set of the night, the score was tied at 6-6 before the Wildcats went on a 5-1 run to open an 11-7 advantage. UA scored two of the next three points, but Kentucky answered with seven of the next 10 points to open a commanding 18-12 lead. The Tide got within three (21-18) following a kill by Fitterer, but the Wildcats ended any possibility of a UA victory in the opening set by winning four of the final six points. Frazier finished the first set with seven kills, leading the Wildcats to a .405 hitting mark to start the match.
After a kill by Katherine White, Alabama was tied 9-9 with the Wildcats in the second set. Kentucky's led by as many as five points at 21-16, but the Tide rallied to get within one (21-20) following four straight points. UK scored on four of the final five serves to take a 2-0 lead in the match. Fitterer had six of her match-high 13 kills in the middle set and White recorded three of her five kills in the second set.
Alabama opened the third set with a 7-3 advantage, but Hartmann served nine straight time as Kentucky took an 11-7 lead they would never relinquish. The Wildcats lead reach six points (18-12) following a Tide hitting error. UA got as close as 18-21 following a kills by Fitterer and an error by Kentucky, but the Wildcats put the match away by winning four of the final six points.
Alabama continues SEC play on Sunday when it hosts the No. 15 ranked Tennessee Lady Vols at 1:30 p.m. at Foster Auditorium. It's senior day for Alabama, which will recognize senior Stephanie Riley, who will play her final home match in an Alabama uniform, before the start of the match.
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