By Dristant Pokharel
The University of Louisville volleyball team is set to host its in-state rival University of Kentucky at the KFC Yum! Center this Wednesday at 8 p.m.
Ranked No. 2, Louisville aims to inch closer to the top spot with a victory in this highly anticipated match in front of fans.
8 wins to start the season
The Louisville volleyball team has continued its impressive form from last season, beginning with a string of eight consecutive victories. Louisville cruised to a 3-0 sweep against No. 12 ranked Penn State, securing victory with set scores of 25-17, 25-19, and 25-16. The Cards put up an impressive show at the L&N Federal Credit Union Arena, where they never trailed against the Nittany Lions.
Charitie Luper scores the match point during the game against Penn State on September 10, 2023 at L&N Federal Credit Union Arena. Photo Courtesy // Adam Creech, Louisville Athletics
The Derby
Although a matchup against No. 21 ranked Kentucky might look easy on paper, the dynamics of a derby are always unpredictable.
The rivalry, the heat, and the drive to dominate the opponent are elevated when facing in-state foes, something the Cards are well aware of despite their recent struggles this season. The Cards will put forth maximum effort to ensure that their rivals do not break their winning streak. If the team delivers a performance similar to their previous matches, the Louisville crowd is in for a treat this Wednesday.
Phekran Kong celebrates during the game against Penn State on September 10, 2023 at L&N Federal Credit Union Arena. Photo Courtesy // Adam Creech, Louisville Athletics
Elevating Volleyball in Louisville
The Louisville athletic department and head coach Dani Busboom Kelly are excited about the growth of volleyball as a sport in the city. Coach Busboom Kelly expressed her pride in contributing to the sport’s advancement, stating “I’m just proud that we are able to do our part. And that’s one of the reasons why we wanted to move some games down to the Yum! Center. We want to be part of pushing the sport forward, getting more eyes on us, more eyes on the sport.”
“It seems like every year there are records being broken in our sports and we’re just scratching the surface in my opinion”, Busboom said.
Photo Courtesy // Adam Creech, Louisville Athletics
