USGA officially renews media deal with NBCU through 2032, adds Versant…Report: Wyc Grousbeck won’t remain Celtics governor…TKO, Paramount stocks hit highs after UFC deal.
The USGA’s new deal with NBCUniversal and Versant runs through 2032. Getty Images
The USGA is officially sticking with NBCUniversal for its media rights in a deal that keeps consistency for one of golf’s biggest properties but also adds a few new twists. The USGA extended its agreement with NBCU, as well as the soon-to-launch Versant, in a six-year deal that runs through 2032. The USGA’s current deal, which originally was struck with Fox and then handed over to NBC in 2021, is slated to end after 2026. Puck first reported that the USGA was expected to stick with NBCU/Versant.
“We definitely put a value on a partner we knew,” USGA CEO Mike Whan told SBJ on Monday. “We trust NBC and Versant in how they showcase the brand and our vision.”
Under the deal, NBC stays as home of the U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open and U.S. Senior Open, which may get a boost in the coming years as Tiger Woods turns 50 later in 2025. Also in play now is Versant, which will have Golf Channel and USA covering USGA events. The U.S. Open and Women’s Open will be carried on USA, while Golf Channel will handle the U.S. Senior Open and the eight other USGA events in the package.
The U.S. Open will continue to have 25 hours minimum of coverage each year. But in a twist, the final hour of play on Thursday and Friday now will be carried on NBC. In recent years, the last hour of coverage was bumped to Peacock, with mostly qualifiers and lesser-name players completing their rounds. Now, select tee times for big-name players will be pushed back, meaning the top names will be completing their rounds as NBC wraps up coverage.
Grousbeck will retain the CEO title and serve as an alternate governor. NBAE/GETTY IMAGES
Wyc Grousbeck will “no longer stay on” as Celtics governor as part of the $6.1B sale of the team to Bill Chisholm, according to sources. Grousbeck had been expected to remain as governor and CEO of the club through 2028. However, sources said that the NBA BOG “was informed in recent days that Chisholm will now assume the governor title moving forward.” Grousbeck will retain the CEO title and serve as an alternate governor. The sale “is expected to be complete within the next week” (ESPN.com, 8/12). The transfer of governor duties to Chisholm reportedly “will be finalized soon” (BOSTON HERALD, 8/12).
There will be “new decision-makers at the top” of the team with Chisholm assuming the governor role. ArcelorMittal CEO Aditya Mittal is “reportedly the second-largest stakeholder of the Celtics group and is a potential name for alternate governor.” Other investors include current Celtics co-owner Robert Hale, Bruce A. Beal Jr. and private investment firm Sixth Street (MASSLIVE, 8/12).
On the heels of the new UFC media deal, TKO Group Holdings’ stock hit an all-time high on Tuesday — while Paramount stock was up over 10%. Michelle Farsi/Zuffa LLC
Wall Street is showing its approval to TKO Group Holdings of its new UFC media rights deal with Paramount, with the company’s stock hitting an all-time high during trading today. After increasing more than 10% yesterday on the heels of the announcement that UFC would be doubling its annual media rights revenue starting in 2026, TKO’s stock popped another 3.2% heading into the close of trading today. It hit an all-time high of $186.34 before paring those gains slightly to $185.87. The prior all-time high was $182.60. Out of 21 analysts covering TKO, seven have a Strong Buy rating, nine have a Buy, five have a Hold and none have an Underperform or Sell, according to CNBC Pro. The highest price target is $225, while the average is $189.55 and the lowest is $117.
Meanwhile, after Paramount Skydance Corp. investors had a tepid reaction initially yesterday, with the stock dropping nearly 4%, Wall Street was much more bullish today as its shares were trading up by 10.7% heading into the close at $11.20 a share. Guggenheim initiated coverage of Paramount on Tuesday with a Buy rating and said that it “is bullish on the combined company of Paramount and Skydance Media,” according to CNBC Pro. Guggenheim set its price target at $13 per share. Out of 26 analysts covering the company, one has a Strong Buy rating, one has a Buy, 14 have a Hold, seven have an Underperform and three have a Sell.
Cubs-Cardinals on ESPN’s “Sunday Night Baseball” averaged 1.97 million viewers, up 111% from the same weekend last year and keeping “SNB” on pace for its best season since 2017. Getty Images
ESPN had an impressive weekend on the diamond, with another big audience for “Sunday Night Baseball,” a record audience for the Little League Softball World Series, and big gains for the regional round of the Little League World Series.
ABC aired the championship game of the Little League Softball World Series on Sunday afternoon — Johnston (Pa.)-Floyds Knob (Ind.) — and it drew 1.44 million viewers, which is the most-watched Little League Softball game ever. That’s up 139% from the same game last year, which was also on ABC. The complete tournament averaged 347,000 viewers across all ESPN platforms, up 66% from 2024.
On the baseball side, the regional round for the Little League World Series wrapped up averaging 520,000 viewers across ESPN networks, the round’s best figure since 2022 and up 80% from last year.
Wrapping things up on “Sunday Night Baseball,” Cubs-Cardinals averaged 1.97 million viewers, up 111% from the same weekend last year and keeping “SNB” on pace for its best season since 2017. Including all MLB games for ESPN (Opening Day, other flex games), the network is averaging 1.69 million viewers, up 10% year-over-year.
MLB has dropped its previous plan to start the World Series early if both League Championship Series are short, announcing the Fall Classic will start Oct. 24. Getty Images
MLB has “dropped its plan to start the World Series early if both League Championship Series are short,” announcing today that this year’s Fall Classic will start on Oct. 24. MLB last year said that Game 1 would move up from Oct. 25 to Oct. 22 if the LCS “ended by Oct. 19, when both leagues were scheduled to be through Game 5.” NL Division Series will “have an extra scheduled off day” between Games 1 and 2, a format that allows a team to “have the same pitchers start Games 1 and 4, and Games 2 and 5 on normal four days’ rest.” All four best-of-three Wild Card Series are scheduled for consecutive days from Sept. 30 to Oct. 2. The ALDS will start Oct. 4-5. Game 5s “would be Oct. 10.” The NLDS will start on Oct. 4, with an “off day followed by a game on Oct. 5, then switch to the other cities on Oct. 8-9.” After another travel day, Game 5s would be “played Oct. 11.” The ALCS starts Oct. 12 and the NLCS the following day (AP, 8/12).
Jump CEO Jordy Leiser (center) with Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx co-owners Marc Lore (left) and Alex Rodriguez, who are also co-founders of the startup along with Leiser. Courtesy of Jump
Fan experience and ticketing platform Jump has closed a Series A funding round of $23M, bringing the total raise by the company to approximately $60M since its 2021 founding.
“I think this is the biggest swing in the category right now,” Leiser told SBJ. “This is our first year in market, and so already having raised $60M is sort of a sign that we’re not going at something small. We’re going at something very big.”
LaLiga club Real Madrid said it “firmly rejects” a potential domestic league fixture between fellow clubs Villarreal and Barcelona in Miami. Getty Images
La Liga club Real Madrid said it “firmly rejects” a potential domestic league fixture between fellow clubs Villarreal and Barcelona in Miami and warned of “a turning point in the world of football.” Real Madrid said today that it has “taken action” to “keep the Dec. 20 match from happening, claiming it would hurt the ‘integrity of the competition’ and the ‘legitimacy of the results.’” The club also said that it has “asked FIFA, UEFA and Spain’s top sports body” to “not authorize the game.” The Royal Spanish Football Federation yesterday approved a request for the match to be played in Miami. UEFA and FIFA now “have to approve the request before it can be made official” (AP, 8/12).
The Labour Party is “fast-tracking secondary legislation to ensure the powers” of the U.K.’s new independent football regulator (IFR) “will be switched on” by November 1. Under a new bill, owners can be “stripped of their right to run clubs” and the IFR can “sanction takeovers at a price of their choice.” The authority is “yet to form a board to work with” IFR Chair David Kogan and has “distance to cover before it becomes fully operational.” But “progress has been made with the recruitment” of CEO Richard Monks, who spent 18 years at the Financial Conduct Authority, is “close to being announced and will begin in the role shortly” (THE ATHLETIC, 8/12).
Speed Reads…
Inter Miami has added honey-based fruit snack brand BEEUP as an official sponsor, and MF Benjamin Cremaschi will serve as a sponsor. NWSL Angel City F Sydney Leroux, another BEEUP sponsor, attended a launch event at Inter Miami’s academy. The BEEUP brand was co-founded by Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham (Alex Silverman, SBJ).
Clos du Bois has signed a multiyear sponsorship deal with the USTA that makes it the official wine of the US Open. The company will launch a sweepstakes to send two fans to the 2026 US Open men’s final and leverage the partnership through in-store signage and billboards (Rob Schaefer, SBJ).
MaxPreps has partnered with Modern Football Technology to launch a select automated stat sync for high school football coaches (MaxPreps).
Lake Superior State Athletics and Taymar have signed a multiyear agreement for the firm to handle revenue generation, including ticket sales, sponsorship sales and innovative partnerships (Taymar).
Men in Blazers Media Network announced Verizon as the group’s official telecommunications partner. Verizon will sponsor live events in partnership with MIBMN (Men in Blazers Media Network).
Rams QB Matthew Stafford will join the SiriusXM show “Let’s Go!” as a host for the 2025 NFL season, joining broadcaster Jim Gray. Raiders DE Maxx Crosby and journalist Peter King also return for their second season on the show (SiriusXM).
The Grand Prix of Arlington announced that PepsiCo will serve as an official partner for the inaugural race weekend taking place March 13-15, 2026 (Grand Prix of Arlington).
Quick Hits….
“The good news when it came to NBCU/Versant is they really wanted the whole package. They really wanted to make sure that they were covering the United States Golf Association championships, whether we were talking about a girls junior or whether we’re talking about the U.S. Women’s Open or the U.S. Senior Women’s Open and it made it nice for us” — USGA CEO Mike Whan, on NBCUniversal and Versant wanting the entire USGA package rather than USGA splitting the deal between several championships (“Halftime Report”, CNBC, 8/12).
Around the World….
Bundesliga International has signed a three-year media rights deal with Vietnamese telecom provider Viettel to serve as the German soccer league’s TV home in Vietnam. The agreement starts in 2025-26 and will see TV360 — Viettel Group’s OTT platform — exclusively carry all Bundesliga matches (Bundesliga International).
Sky Sports is “dedicating a single platform to simultaneously broadcasting as many as five matches on a single screen, with a dedicated commentator, director and producer helping guide the viewer to the main action.” It will be “rolled out at 2pm as part of Sky’s ‘Supersized’ Sunday, when its new broadcast deal will mean increasing the offering on that day from 36 to 63 matches a season” (London TELEGRAPH, 8/12).
The Red Bull Group has “taken full ownership of Newcastle Falcons rugby club” in a move “described as a ‘landmark moment’ for the sport.” The newly named Newcastle Red Bulls are “set to remain at Kingston Park.” Current Director of Rugby Steve Diamond will “continue in that position” (Newcastle CHRONICLE, 8/12).
Premier League club Crystal Palace said that the club is “seeking legal advice on possible next steps after the Court of Arbitration for Sport dismissed the club’s appeal against UEFA’s decision to demote them from the Europa League to the Conference League” (REUTERS, 8/12).
Social Scoop….
Daily Download….
ESPN launched a pair of new PSAs encouraging youth sports participation as part of its ongoing Take Back Sports initiative, powered by Disney. Former NFLers Peyton and Eli Manning appear in one video along with Warriors G Stephen Curry to discuss challenges and opportunities in youth sports.
Daily Digit….
700% — Liverpool FC’s home kit has outstripped sales of last year’s launch by over 700% as the Premier League club has kicked off its new partnership with Adidas (Liverpool FC)
With Texas A&M up 24-20 in the third set of the NCAA women’s volleyball title match, Maddie Waak set the ball for Ifenna Cos-Okpalla. Though Logan Lednicky and Kyndal Stowers had played bigger games for the Aggies, it was Cos-Okpalla who got the call for the championship point.
She elevated and slammed the ball in between Kentucky’s defenders at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City. With that kill, Texas A&M won an improbable national title, 3-0 (26-24, 25-15, 25-20).
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“They’re putting on t-shirts behind me. I can’t believe it. I’m still a little bit in disbelief,” Aggies coach Jamie Morrison said to ABC after the game. “We sent a warning shot out to the world about what we’re about.”
Kentucky, the No. 1 seed, started out strong in the first set. They built a lead as big as six points before Texas A&M started chipping away, eventually winning the set, 26-24. With that momentum, the Aggies owned the next two sets. Lednicky was the star of the match with 7 kills, 11 digs and 2 blocks. With every point won, Texas A&M’s confidence grew.
Kentucky was the third No. 1 seed that Texas A&M — a third seed — beat on the way to the national title, and every win from the Sweet 16 on was shocking. First, the Aggies came back from 2-0 to pull the reverse sweep against Louisville. Next, Texas A&M had to face undefeated, No. 1 overall seed Nebraska in Lincoln. In what was the best game of the tournament, the Aggies beat Nebraska in five sets.
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But their magic didn’t stop once the Aggies got to Kansas City. In the national semifinal, they swept No. 1 seed Pittsburgh, the first time the Panthers had been swept all season. And then in the first-ever All-SEC final, the Aggies came out victorious.
Unlike Kentucky, which won the national title in 2020 and has been one of the top teams in women’s volleyball for years, Texas A&M is a newcomer to volleyball’s elite. Though it had some good teams over the years that made it to the Elite Eight, this was the program’s first Final Four and their first national title.
Morrison took over the program in 2023, and held onto Lednicky and Cos-Okpalla. The Aggies turned the program around quickly, earning a bid to the tournament in 2023 and then making it to the Sweet 16 in 2024. This year, the Aggies went 29-4 and looked like a team on the brink. But with so many seniors, they had no time to waste and adopted the mentality of “Why not us?”
Lednicky, who played with the U.S. national team over the summer, was the heart of this team’s championship run, and the player who kept asking “Why not us?” Stowers’ comeback might be one of the best sports stories of the year. While playing for Baylor, she suffered concussions and medically retired from the sport. But after being medically cleared and deciding she had more to give to the sport, Stowers signed with Texas A&M and is now a national champion.
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Morrison has built a program that is not only a national champion, but is in a great position to continue to grow volleyball in Texas. While he will lose seniors like Lednicky and Waak, he can now show off a championship ring while on the recruiting trail.
But figuring out who will play for the Aggies next season is tomorrow’s problem. Today, Texas A&M gets to celebrate how it defied the odds to win the school’s first-ever national title in women’s volleyball.
Kentucky volleyball will look to win its second national title in five years on Sunday when it takes on Texas A&M in Kansas City.How to watchSunday’s game tips off at 3:30 p.m. at the T-Mobile Center. It will air on ABC.PreviewKentucky comes to the game on Sunday with the edge. The Cats are No. 2 overall in the NCAA ranking, and they have previously beaten the No. 6 Aggies 3-1 in October. That game, an A&M home game, saw then No. 3 Kentucky face off against No. 9 Texas A&M, but since that meet-up, the Cats have not lost a single game, and the Aggies are right behind them with a single loss to home state rival Texas. The Wildcats have won 27 straight games, 30-2 overall, with their last loss in September to Pittsburgh. Texas A&M comes in 28-4 overall, with a five-game win streak, after their loss to Texas destroyed their 11-game win streak.Kentucky is no stranger to the NCAA championship. The Cats snagged their first title in 2020 after they beat Texas 3-1 in Omaha. Texas A&M has not made an appearance at the NCAA championship but has finished in the top ten four times in the last five years, finishing in fifth place in 2024.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. —
Kentucky volleyball will look to win its second national title in five years on Sunday when it takes on Texas A&M in Kansas City.
How to watch
Sunday’s game tips off at 3:30 p.m. at the T-Mobile Center. It will air on ABC.
Preview
Kentucky comes to the game on Sunday with the edge. The Cats are No. 2 overall in the NCAA ranking, and they have previously beaten the No. 6 Aggies 3-1 in October. That game, an A&M home game, saw then No. 3 Kentucky face off against No. 9 Texas A&M, but since that meet-up, the Cats have not lost a single game, and the Aggies are right behind them with a single loss to home state rival Texas.
The Wildcats have won 27 straight games, 30-2 overall, with their last loss in September to Pittsburgh. Texas A&M comes in 28-4 overall, with a five-game win streak, after their loss to Texas destroyed their 11-game win streak.
Kentucky is no stranger to the NCAA championship. The Cats snagged their first title in 2020 after they beat Texas 3-1 in Omaha.
Texas A&M has not made an appearance at the NCAA championship but has finished in the top ten four times in the last five years, finishing in fifth place in 2024.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Texas A&M Aggies overwhelmed the Kentucky Wildcats in the final two sets of a 3-0 (26-24, 25-15, 25-18) victory to claim the school’s first-ever NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship Sunday evening inside the T-Mobile Center.
Entering the tournament as the No. 3 seed in the Lincoln Regional, Texas A&M (29-4) completed a postseason sweep of three of the tournament’s No. 1 seeds, beating Nebraska (3-2) and Pitt (3-0) before dispatching of Kentucky (30-3). The last three teams the Maroon & White beat were a combined 93-6 before their respective seasons were ended.
The Aggies became the ninth team in the 45-year history of the NCAA Championship to sweep both of their Final Four matches.
The Maroon & White never trailed in the last two sets. The opportunistic Aggies took advantage of the Wildcats’ nine service errors and 16 attack errors.
Kyndal Stowers was named the NCAA Championship Most Outstanding Player. She capped off the tournament with a .304 attack percentage, 10 kills, six digs, two service aces and one block in the triumph over Kentucky. Ifenna Cos-Okpalla, Logan Lednicky and Ava Underwood joined Stowers on the All-Tournament Team.
Texas A&M claimed the first set despite not leading until 25-24. The Wildcats pounced on the Aggies in the first set for a 9-3 advantage. Kentucky led by six on eight more occasions, before the Maroon & White clawed back into the contest. An 8-2 run, featuring two kills each by Cos-Okpalla and Lednicky, tied the contest at 20-20. With the set seesawing, the Wildcats had its first set point at 24-23, but Stowers sandwiched two kills around a block assist by Cos-Okpalla and Maddie Waak for the smash and grab.
The second set was tied twice early before the Aggies broke away. Back-to-back kills by Lednicky and a service ace by Cos-Okpalla allowed Texas A&M to open a 5-2 lead. The Maroon & White suffocated the Wildcats with a 13-3 run to open its biggest lead of the set at 19-8. Kentucky would draw no closer than seven the remainder of the set.
After Kentucky opened the third set with a service error, Cos-Okpalla put aways two kills to start a 6-1 surge out of the gate. The Wildcats cut the deficit to 10-8, but 9-3 charge by Texas A&M widened the lead to 19-11. Big Blue was closed the gap to four at 24-20, but it was too little, too late as Cos-Okpalla uncorked a booming kill for the final point.
Logan Lednicky recorded her 23nd-consecutive game with 10 or more kills.
Ifenna Cos-Okpalla set the Texas A&M career record for blocks, wrapping up with 566. She also inflated her single-season school record to 199.
Jamie Morrison joined John Dunning (first year) and Michael Sealy (second year) as one of three coaches two win an NCAA Division I Volleyball tournament in their first three years as a head coach.
The Aggies beat all four of the No. 1 seeds of the NCAA Championship, beating Texas (3-2) in the regular season and Nebraska (3-2), Pitt (3-0) and Kentucky (3-0).
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Visit 12thMan.com for more information on Texas A&M volleyball. Fans can keep up to date with the A&M volleyball team on Facebook, Instagram and on Twitter by following @AggieVolleyball.
Aviana, also known as Avi, is no stranger to success on the track. Before turning 18, Avi had already won three state championships and earned multiple bronze medals, along with a silver, while competing for her high school track team — and even added a school record in the process. Her winning nature carried over to Syracuse where she balanced being a student and an athlete, studying Communication and Rhetorical Studies at VPA and Sports Revenue Management & Operations at Falk College. This balance paid off as she earned top-six finishes at the 2019 ACC Indoor and Outdoor Championships in the high jump. She continued to add to her long list of track achievements during her graduate transfer year when she competed for The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) where she previously held the indoor program record for 60m hurdles and the outdoor record for the 100m hurdles and heptathlon. Although she no longer competes on the track, she has found a new way to stay involved with the sport she loves.
It was always Aviana’s dream to earn a trip to TrackTown USA in Eugene, Oregon. For those who may not know, TrackTown is a world-class track and field facility organizing events such as the 2015, 2022, 2023 USATF Outdoor Championships and the 2016, 2020, and 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials. Aviana’s dream to make it to TrackTown USA, also known as Hayward Field, came true when she was selected as one of four photographers to cover the 2024 U.S. Olympic Track and Field Team Trials as park of the Black Women Photographers and TrackTown USA creative team.
Noah Lyles coming out of the blocks at U.S. Olympic Team Trials. Credit: Aviana Goode/@goode.flicks
“It was surreal,” Aviana said. “My goal in life, in track and field specifically, was always to make it to Hayward Field. It was supposed to be as an athlete, but I guess God had different plans for me. I ended up there with a whole new lens, literally and figuratively.”
Aviana spent over a week at TrackTown shooting world-class athletes like Olympic champion and eight-time World Champion, Noah Lyles, Olympic long jump champion, Tara Davis-Woodhall, and even Olympian and World Record breaker, Sydney McLaughlin.
Tara Davis-Woodhall competing in long jump at U.S. Olympic Team Trials. Credit: Aviana Goode/@goode.flicks
The unique part about the entire situation is that Aviana was just a newbie in the sports photography world at this point. She had started sports photography just two years prior to shooting on this world-class stage and had only shot one outdoor track meet before. Despite the lack of experience, Polly Irungu, founder of Black Women Photographers, loved her photos and style.
The opportunity to shoot the Olympic Trials allowed Aviana to grow tremendously as a person but also as a photographer. While covering the Olympic Trials, she noticed that not many women of color were working as creatives although the sport is predominately black. There were only five other creatives that were black women that she saw capturing the events at TrackTown. This realization inspired Avi to be a role model and a representation for young black women and women of color who want to step into the creative world. As a freelance photographer based in NYC, she continues to refine her craft, working with athletes, brands, and events to create high-impact imagery that resonates.
“Being a photographer allows me to go out there and still feel like an athlete. I can feel the emotion. I’m capturing everything to remember the moment and to show the love and passion for the sport that I think is the hardest sport in the world, Aviana said.
Stay connected with Aviana on Linkedin: Aviana Goode | LinkedIn & Instagram: @goode.flicks
Raven Saunders with her medal at U.S. Olympic Team Trials. Credit: Aviana Goode/@goode.flicks
The Kentucky Wildcats volleyball team needed one more win to bring home a national championship, but the Texas A&M Aggies were the better team on Sunday afternoon, and it’s they who took home the trophy after winning the match 3-0 (26-24, 25-15, 25-20).
It looked like the Wildcats were going to take control early. They jumped out to a 6-1 lead in the first set, and led big as play progressed. However, some good Texas A&M serves, and some bad Kentucky passing led to an Aggies comeback.
After that first set, it seemed as if the life drained out of the Wildcats. The Aggies dominated the second set. They blocked nearly every Kentucky kill attempt, and dug out the rest. The Cats had no answers, and they fell behind 2-0.
Set three got away quickly from the Wildcats as well. The Texas A&M defense stayed strong, and more importantly, their passing was immaculate, and led to easy points. They would wind up taking it 25-20 to get the sweep and win the national championship.
It was a tough end to the season for Kentucky. Unfortunately, in the biggest game of the year, they had their worst performance. However, credit Texas A&M, who saved their best for last.
Congratulations to Texas A&M on the win, and congratulations to the Kentucky Wildcats for the terrific season.
Texas A&M wins set three and the match
The Aggies were the better team today, and are the national champions.
And another Kentucky service error
Their ninth of the match makes it 21-15 Aggies.
Kentucky service error
It was their eighth of the match.
Domination
The Aggies have just been the better team today, and lead 19-11 in set three.
More unforced errors for Kentucky
Kentucky’s seventh service error makes it 13-9 Aggies.
Kassie O’Brien kill as Kentucky tries to stay in it
The Wildcats trail 12-9 in set three.
Kentucky in big trouble
They’re down 6-1 now.
Kentucky error begins set three
Three straight errors by the Wildcats have the Aggies down 3-0 in set three.
Kentucky hitting has to improve
The Wildcats had a negative hit percentage in the second set and they’re hitting just .067 in the match.
Aggies take set two
It was complete domination by Texas A&M in the second set. They lead 2-0.
Texas A&M dominating
The Wildcats have no answers right now. Every shot is either being blocked, or just misses. It’s 24-15 Aggies.
Hitting errors hurting Kentucky now
Back to back striking errors have the Aggies leading 14-7 now and it’s danger time.
Block party for the Aggies
Kentucky is getting nothing right now. It’s another block for Texas A&M and it’s 10-5 Aggies in set two.
Eva Hudson kill
Hudson crushes one to make it 8-5 Aggies.
Another block by Texas A&M
Kentucky is struggling to get shots over the net. The Aggies defense is dominating the match.
Aggies defense taking over
Texas A&M is digging out every kill attempt, and poor passing is still a problem. Kentucky trails 4-2.
Texas A&M scores first in set two
A long rally ends with an Aggies point to begin the second set.
Kentucky has to rebound quickly
The Wildcats blew a big lead in set one with bad passing and sets. They have to recover quickly now.
Texas A&M takes set one 26-24
Kentucky’s passing was bad down the stretch, and it cost them the first set.
Kentucky trails
Some questionable passing has led to easy points for the Aggies, and they lead 25-24.
It’s tied again
A bad set from Kassie O’Brien led to a point for Texas A&M, and a tie at 23.
Molly Tuozzo ace
It’s a big ace for Tuozzo to put Kentucky up 23-21.
Service errors returning
Kentucky now has 3 service errors in the first set.
The match is tied
Texas A&M gets a block and it’s now 20-20.
Eva Hudson stops the run
Hudson gets a shot down the line and ends the scoring run for the Aggies.
Kentucky calls timeout
The Aggies have scored four straight points and it’s now 18-16 Kentucky in set one.
Texas A&M making a run
They’ve scored 3 straight points to cut the lead to 18-15.
Brooklyn DeLeye with back to back kills
DeLeye is using terrific location shots to get points. It’s 17-11 Wildcats.
Asia Thigpen is off to a hot start
She has two blocks already, and adds a kill to make it 14-9 Kentucky.
Brooklyn DeLeye kill
From the back row, DeLeye gets a big kill to make it 13-7 Wildcats.
Asia Thigpen again
Thigpen gets her second block, and Kentucky leads 9-3.
Asia Thigpen block
It’s 6-1 Kentucky after Thigpen gets the big defensive play. The serving has been very good so far, and a big factor.
Kassie O’Brien makes it 3-0
The Wildcats have started fast, and lead early on.
Kentucky scores first
The first point of the match is scored by the Wildcats.
It’s time
Kentucky vs Texas A&M for the national championship.
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