Flag Day is commemorated each year in the United States on June 14. Though Flag Day is not an official federal holiday, the day remains significant nonetheless, as it traces its origins all the way back to 1777.
The Second Continental Congress formally adopted the flag of the United States on June 14, 1777. That resolution noted certain characteristics of the new flag, including the alternating red and white stripes that remain part of the flag that is celebrated each June 14.
Flag Day is one of various notable events and holidays commemorated in June, a list that includes Father’s Day, Juneteenth and the summer solstice. That can make it easy for Flag Day to get lost in the proverbial shuffle, but the Farmer’s Almanac notes it is customary for the sitting president of the United States to encourage Americans to display the flag outside of their homes and businesses each June 14. The flag is flown from all public buildings on Flag Day, which the Farmer’s Almanac reports is another rich tradition that dates back 1877 and the centennial of the flag’s adoption.
President Woodrow Wilson issued a presidential proclamation on June 14, 1916, that designated the day as Flag Day going forward. Thirty-three years after President Wilson’s proclamation, the U.S. Congress officially established June 14 as National Flag Day.
One notable tidbit Americans can consider this Flag Day is the connection between the flag and seamstress Betsy Ross. Many American schoolchildren were taught that Ms. Ross designed and sewed the first American flag, but historians have since discredited that legend. The Farmer’s Almanac notes that many historians now believe George Washington already had a design for a flag with 13 red and white alternating stripes and 13 six-pointed stars set in a circle when he visited Ms. Ross in Philadelphia. And while historians do not doubt that Ms. Ross sewed a flag reflecting the design George Washington brought with him when visiting the seamstress, it’s hard to confirm if she in fact sewed the first flag.
Texas Volleyball was so close to winning the SEC Tournament Championship. The Longhorns had the Kentucky Wildcats down to match point twice in the pivotal third set. But the Wildcats held on, won Set III and used the momentum to storm to the SEC Volleyball title, winning 3-2.
UT won the first two sets and had the ‘Cats on the brink at 24-22. But kills by Eva Hudson and Asia Thigpen fueled a three-point streak for Kentucky and the set.
From then on it was all Kentucky. The Wildcats too the fourth set 25-22 and scored the final six points in the deciding fifth set to win the title.
AUSTIN, Texas. — The No. 3 Texas Volleyball team (23-3, 13-2 SEC) fell to No. 2 Kentucky (25-19, 28-26, 24-26, 22-25, 9-15) in the final of the SEC Tournament.
Torrey Stafford and Ella Swindle both recorded double-doubles in the match. Stafford registered her 11th of the season with 28 kills and 10 digs while hitting .471. This marks Stafford’s 12th game this season hitting over .400. Swindle totaled her sixth of the season with 47 assists and 17 digs. Freshman Cari Spears put up 15 kills, six digs, and two blocks, while fellow freshman Abby Vander Wal contributed 15 kills, four digs, and two blocks. Emma Halter recorded season-high 26 digs and moved up to ninth all-time in digs for the Longhorns.
Set One: Texas dominated the opening set from a combined effort from Stafford and Vander Wal. Vander Wal totaled seven kills and a block while hitting .583. Stafford tallied six kills and two digs with a .545 hitting percentage. The Longhorns together recorded a .439 hitting percentage while limiting the Wildcats to .289 and four errors.
Set Two: The Longhorns won the close set two with a 4-0 run to end the set. Kentucky recorded a .184 hitting percentage. Stafford totaled nine kills while Swindle and Halter put up 14 assists and eight digs, respectively.
Set Three: Texas dropped the third set despite three match points. The Longhorns hit .357 during set three. Swindle registered eight assists and Halter recorded five digs.
Set Four: Texas fell to Kentucky in set four 22-25. Stafford contributed eight kills and two digs while Swindle recorded eight assists and eight digs.
Set Five: The Longhorns dropped the final set despite six digs from Halter. Seven hitting errors off 24 swings gave the Wildcats the advantage. Kentucky finished the match with seven kills.
Texas will move on to the NCAA Tournament with the selection show scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 30 at 5:00 p.m. CT on ESPN.
BROOKINGS, S.D. – The No. 1 South Dakota State volleyball team was surgical in its dismantling of No. 4 North Dakota State Monday night in the semifinal match of the Summit League Championship. The Jackrabbits swept the Bison 25-15, 25-10, 25-20 to advance to Tuesday night’s championship game against St. Thomas.
The Jackrabbits’ defense was rolling early, forcing attack errors on five of NDSU’s first six swings of the match, while the offense hit .270 in the opening frame and only had one attack error of its own en route to a 25-15 victory.
The second set was more of the same for the Jackrabbits, who used a 14-4 run to put the clamps down and post a 25-10 victory to move ahead 2-0. Sylvie Zgonc and the Jackrabbit attackers hit .480 in the frame, combining for 13 kills and just one attack error again. Zgonc, the back-to-back Summit League Player of the Year, had five kills in the second set and also added a solo block as SDSU followed up a four-block first set with four more as NDSU hit -0.100 as a team.
NDSU led for the first time in any set after SDSU opened the third set with a service ace and would hang with the Jackrabbits early on. Back-to-back kills from Lauren Jansen and a service ace by Cathy Porter had the Bison ahead 9-6. Another kill by Jansen capped a 6-1 run by her squad that made SDSU head coach Dan Georgalas call a timeout with his team trailing 11-7.
The Jacks reeled off five straight points out of the break to gain the lead back at 12-11 and force NDSU head coach Jennifer Lopez to use a timeout. An ace by the Jacks would stretch the run to six straight and their lead to 13-11 before Arianna Blohm ended it with a kill.
After falling behind 15-12, the Bison would claw all the way back to briefly regain the lead at 19-18 on a kill by Emma Tallman that forced another Jacks’ timeout.
SDSU would take the lead right back with a quick 5-0 spurt that the Bison would not recover from.
The SDSU defense kept making it difficult for NDSU attackers as Madison Burr and crew combined for 14 blocks, including eight in the sweep-clinching set. The Jacks would close things out 25-20 on a service ace by Maggie Meister that was the Jacks’ third of the set and sixth of the match.
Zgonc hit .355 with 11 kills on 31 swings to pace the Jackrabbits’ offense, while Burr added seven kills for SDSU and led all players with eight total blocks, including three solo. Sydni Schetnan added six kills, hit a team-best .545 and added four blocks for the Jackrabbits, who limited NDSU to a .026 hitting percentage.
Lauren Jansen led all players with 17 kills and hit .265 for the Bison, who did not have another player with more than five kills.
NOTES
The Jackrabbits will play for the tournament title for the second straight season and look to capture just the program’s first since winning its only title in 2007.
SDSU improved to 3-0 on the season against NDSU after defeating the Bison in both regular season tilts as well.
The Jackrabbits out-blocked the Bison 14-2 in the match.
UP NEXT
The Jackrabbits will play St. Thomas in the title match at 6 p.m. on Tuesday night at First Bank & Trust Arena
ORLANDO – The UCF volleyball team is set for its regular-season finale road trip this week, with contests at Kansas State and No. 13 Kansas on the road.
The squad will strive to conclude head coach Matt Botsford’s first season in style and potentially secure their third-ranked win of the season.
Cyclone Chasers For the second time in program history, the Knights swept a ranked opponent, defeating No. 24 Iowa State on Senior Day in Orlando. Marking the eighth-ranked win in program history, Botsford becomes the first head coach in program history to defeat multiple ranked opponents during his first season in charge. The first time UCF swept a ranked opponent came back in 2011, toppling No. 3 USC, while the second top-25 victory of the season marks just the second time the program has achieved multiple ranked wins in a single season since 2022. After sweeping Houston on Wednesday, the back-to-back sweeps mark the first in consecutive home matches in Big 12 play since joining the conference in 2023.
Lexi’s Career Week Freshman Alexa Haley was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week after a brilliant week, aiding in UCF’s sweeps over Houston and No. 24 Iowa State. The freshman tallied 32 combined digs across the matches, leading the Knights’ back row, which held both teams to sub-.200 hitting percentage and just 10.8 kills per set. The Cyclones entered the match third in the conference in hitting percentage (0.256) and first in kills per set (14.29), though against Haley and the UCF defense, they registered just 39 kills and a minimal 0.174 hitting percentage (second-lowest this season). The Naples native took over libero duties before conference play, and has since shown why, tallying 10 or more digs in 12 of her last 14 contests. Lexi’s weekly honor is the third by a Knight this season, joining Reaghan Thompson (Defensive, Sept. 23) and Avah Armour (Offensive, Oct. 28) as the only player to have claimed Big 12 weekly honors since joining the conference in 2023. Moreover, Haley is the only freshman in the Big 12 this season to have won an offensive or defensive weekly honor and the first to do so since Baylor’s Kyndal Stowers won offensive player of the week on Sept. 12, 2023. Moreover, she is the first freshman to win Big 12 defensive player of the week since Oklahoma’s Callie Kemohah on Oct. 5, 2021.
Ranked Dub in Utah Last week in Provo, the Knights toppled No. 17 BYU in four sets, dominating the Cougars throughout. The win marked the first ranked victory for the Knights since 2022 and the first as a member of the Big 12. The performance was the seventh ranked win in program history and the fourth-highest all-time. UCF’s last ranked win came against No. 22 Houston on Nov. 22, 2022, to clinch a share of The American regular-season title. Battling on the road, the Knights also handed BYU just its 16th home loss in the last 11 years.
SINGLE GAME AND SEASON TICKETS ON SALE NOW UCF volleyball single-match and season tickets are on sale now. Be sure to catch all the action in the program’s 50th Anniversary Season. Tickets can be purchased online at ucfknights.com/tickets or by calling the ticket office at (407) 823-1000.
ABOUT UCF ATHLETICS UCF is a proud member of the Big 12 Conference. Our mission is to positively transform the lives of our students academically, athletically, and personally through a nationally competitive intercollegiate athletics program that enhances the reputation and visibility of the University. We strive to be Florida’s preeminent athletic program, representing UCF and our community with distinction on the national stage as “Orlando’s Hometown Team”. To learn more about UCF and Athletics, please visit our websites at www.ucf.edu and www.ucfknights.com.
The Big West unveiled its 2025 postseason honors on the eve of The Hawaiian Islands presents the 2025 Outrigger Big West Women’s Volleyball Championship, with first-time regular-season champion UC Davis featured prominently in the listings.
Aggies senior outside hitter Jade Light collected Big West Player of the Year honors after leading the league with 3.99 kills and 4.50 points per set entering the postseason. The Sloughhouse, Calif., native is the first UC Davis player to ever win Player of the Year honors, coming in the Aggies’ last campaign in the conference.
Joining Light on the All-Big West first team are major award winners in Setter of the Year Mia Starr and Libero of the Year Ximena Cordero Barr. Both new awards since the 2022 season, Starr and Cordero Barr are the first UC Davis players to earn acclaim.
Starr, a junior from Portland, Ore., has directed the UC Davis offense to their highest tally in conference wins in program history with 16 and the first 20-win season for the Aggies since 2009. Starr is averaging 10.41 assists per set, 23rd nationally and first in The Big West. Holding down the back line, Cordero Barr scoops up 4.59 digs per set to rate second in the league. The sophomore from Tijuana, Mexico anchors the defense that allows opponents to hit a stingy 0.147, sixth in the country.
At the helm of the Aggies, Big West Coach of the Year Dan Conners became UC Davis’ all-time winningest coach in the final weeks of the regular season, sporting 171 wins in 11 seasons. This is a first career coaching nod for Conners, and just the second Aggie coach to earn conference honors (Jamie Holmes, 2009). Conners now reigns with the most career wins in The Big West among active coaches.
Second-seeded Cal Poly sees two first team All-Big West selections in redshirt senior setter Emme Bullis and sophomore outside hitter Kendall Beshear. Up from a second-team nod in 2024, Bullis is second in the league with a 9.55 assists per set average. The Whitewater, Wis, native has helped on 4,159 scoring plays for the Mustangs which stands in sixth in NCAA Division I active career leaders. A product of Palos Verdes, Calif., Beshear averages 3.16 kills per set and has served up 40 total aces which is good for second in The Big West this season. Cal Poly’s team hitting percentage of 0.280 heading into Championship week rates 19th nationally.
UC Santa Barbara also enjoys a pair on the eight-member first team, with redshirt senior Layanna Green joined by Big West Freshman of the Year Gabi Martinez on the listings. Green leads The Big West in hitting percentage at an effective .420, raking 14th in NCAA Division I. The redshirt senior middle blocker from Waukee, Iowa, has been in on 105 total blocks his year to land in the league’s top 10 to earn a first career All-Big West nod.
Martinez takes home Big West Freshman of the Year honors after a stellar campaign for the true freshman from Katy, Texas. Martinez is second on the team in kills (2.88) and points (3.32) average and has served up 18 aces for UCSB. The award from Martinez makes successive freshman honors UCSB players, following teammate and second team selection Eva Travis.
Rounding out the All-Big West first team is Long Beach State redshirt freshman Logan King, who hails from Newmarket, Ontario, Canada. The opposite hitter for the Beach helped the team to a No. 3 seed in the upcoming Championship brackets while leading the offensive with 3.62 kills and 4.20 points per set. Both figures rate third in the league, trailing only Light and Travis.
Each team in the postseason enjoys at least one player on the All-Big West second team. Host LBSU sees sophomore setter Madi Maxwell and senior outside hitter Elise Agi on the listings. This is Agi’s second time on the team, also earning distinction in 2023. CSUN’s offensive leader Leah Miller. UC Irvine senior libero Campbell Jensen makes a repeat appearance on the second team. The middle blocker trio of Ally Chandler (UC Davis), Chloe Leluge (Cal Poly) and Bri Gunderson (Hawai’i) complete the team. This marks consecutive nods to the second team for Chandler.
Both Martinez and King headline The Big West All-Freshman Team and both are joined by a teammate as Jordyn Johnson of UCSB and LBSU’s Sidney Hamaker also earn distinction Brooke Hibino of UC Davis, Cal Poly’s Charlotte Kelly and Cha’lei Reid of Hawai’i complete the seven-player listing.
The Hawaiian Islands presents the 2025 Outrigger Big West Women’s Volleyball Championship gets underway Wednesday from the newly-renamed LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid on the campus of Long Beach State. Fifteen of the 16 members of the All-Big West first and second teams will be in action this week competing for the league’s automatic berth into the 2025 NCAA Division I Championship field. Single- and all-session tickets are available for all three days of action at BigWest.org/wvbtix.
The Big West 2025 Women’s Volleyball All-Conference Team
Player of the Year: Jade Light, UC Davis
Setter of the Year: Mia Starr, UC Davis
Libero of the Year: Ximena Cordero Barr, UC Davis
Freshman of the Year: Gabi Martinez, UC Santa Barbara
Coach of the Year: Dan Conners, UC Davis
All-Big West First Team
Student-Athlete
Year
Position
Institution
Hometown
Kendall Beshear
So.
OH
Cal Poly
Palos Verdes, Calif.
Emme Bullis
R-Sr.
S
Cal Poly
Whitewater, Wis.
Ximena Cordero Barr
So.
L
UC Davis
Tijuana, Mexico
Layanna Green
R-Sr.
MB
UC Santa Barbara
Waukee, Iowa
Logan King
R-Fr.
OPP
Long Beach State
Newmarket, Ontario, Canada
Jade Light
Sr.
OH
UC Davis
Sloughhouse, Calif.
Gabi Martinez
Fr.
OH
UC Santa Barbara
Katy, Texas
Mia Starr
Jr.
S
UC Davis
Portland, Ore.
All-Big West Second Team
Student-Athlete
Year
Position
Institution
Hometown
Elise Agi
Sr.
OH
Long Beach State
San Francisco, Calif.
Ally Chandler
Jr.
MB
UC Davis
Loomis, Calif.
Bri Gunderson
Sr.
MB
Hawai’i
Ladera Ranch, Calif.
Campbell Jensen
Sr.
L
UC Irvine
Burbank, Calif.
Chloe Leluge
So.
MB
Cal Poly
Bend, Ore.
Madi Maxwell
So.
S
Long Beach State
Newhall, Calif.
Leah Miller
Sr.
OPP
CSUN
Las Vegas, Nev.
Eva Travis
R-So.
OH
UC Santa Barbara
Aliso Viejo, Calif.
Honorable Mention:
Adrianna Arquette (Hawai’i); Breeze Czapinski (UC Davis); Kendra Duffey (UC Irvine); Emma Fredrick (Cal Poly); Jordyn Johnson (UC Santa Barbara); Victoria Leyva (Hawai’i); Molly McCluskey (UC San Diego); Hayley Ogden (CSUN); Cha’lei Reid (Hawai’i); Miliana Sylvester (Hawai’i); Annabelle Thalken (Cal Poly); Nicole Zake (Cal State Bakersfield)
Texas Longhorns outside hitter Torrey Stafford (4) spikes the ball during the match against Kentucky at Gregory Gym on Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025 in Austin.
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SAVANNAH, Ga. — The Texas Longhorns are in their first SEC Volleyball Tournament finals and have a date with the Kentucky Wildcats.
The Wildcats swept the Longhorns Nov. 2 in what was a poor showing for Texas. Head coach Jerritt Elliott recognized that the Longhorns were not playing their best volleyball at the time and they had to change before the postseason began. Which is exactly what they did. They’ve gone nearly three weeks without a loss.
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“I thought we came out really dialed in, really focused on the very first point, and were relentless the entire night. We were good at all facets of our game,” Elliott said after the Ole Miss sweep Sunday night.
The Longhorns now have the chance up upset top seed Kentucky who has dominated their last two games by sweeping Auburn and beating Tennessee 3-1.
MORE: What to know as No. 3 Longhorns start SEC tournament
MORE: How can Texas beat No. 1 seed Kentucky
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Texas Longhorns outside hitter Torrey Stafford (4) spikes the ball during the game against Texas A&M at Reed Arena on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
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The Texas Longhorns huddle on the court ahead of the game against Texas A&M at Reed Arena on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
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Texas Longhorns libero Emma Halter (2) and outside hitter Torrey Stafford (4) attempt to return a serve during the game against Texas A&M at Reed Arena on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
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Texas A&M outside hitter Kyndal Stowers (37) spikes the ball during the game against the Texas Longhorns at Reed Arena on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
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Texas Longhorns outside hitter Abby Vander Wal (6) spikes the ball during the game against Texas A&M at Reed Arena on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
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Texas A&M outside hitter Kyndal Stowers (37) returns a serve during the game against the Texas Longhorns at Reed Arena on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
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Texas A&M players and fans celebrate beating the Texas Longhorns in the annual Lone Star Showdown volleyball rivalry match at Reed Arena on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
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Texas A&M libero Ava Atwood (12) misses a serve return during the game against the Texas Longhorns at Reed Arena on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
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Texas A&M libero Addie Applegate (2) celebrates a score against the Texas Longhorns at Reed Arena on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
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Texas A&M players line up for the national anthem ahead of the game against the Texas Longhorns at Reed Arena on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
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Texas A&M fans sing chants during the game against the Texas Longhorns at Reed Arena on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
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Texas A&M libero Ava Underwood (12) returns a serve during the game against the Texas Longhorns at Reed Arena on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
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Texas A&M outside hitter Emily Hellmuth (4) spikes the ball during the game against the Texas Longhorns at Reed Arena on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
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Texas A&M fans wave signs during the game against the Texas Longhorns at Reed Arena on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
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Texas Longhorns head coach Jerritt Elliott walks the cour during the game against Texas A&M at Reed Arena on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
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Texas A&M middle blocker Ifenna Cos-Okpalla (1) and setter Maddie Waak (16) celebrate a score against the Texas Longhorns at Reed Arena on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
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Texas A&M celebrates a score against the Texas Longhorns at Reed Arena on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
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Texas A&M head coach Jamie Morrison talks to his players between sets during the game against the Texas Longhorns at Reed Arena on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
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Texas Longhorns outside hitter Torrey Stafford (4) returns a serve during the game against Texas A&M at Reed Arena on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
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Texas A&M outside hitter Kyndal Stowers (37) serves the ball during the game against the Texas Longhorns at Reed Arena on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
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Texas Longhorns players miss a block during the game against Texas A&M at Reed Arena on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
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Texas Longhorns middle blocker Nya Bunton (55) celebrates a score during the game against Texas A&M at Reed Arena on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
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Texas A&M players leave the court after a second set win against the Texas Longhorns at Reed Arena on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
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Texas A&M middle blocker Ifenna Cos-Okpalla (1) and opposite hitter Logan Lednicky (9) miss a block during the game against the Texas Longhorns at Reed Arena on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
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Texas Longhorns setter Ella Swindle (1) celebrates a score during the game against Texas A&M at Reed Arena on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
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Texas A&M libero Addie Applegate (2) returns a serve during the game against the Texas Longhorns at Reed Arena on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
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Texas A&M outside hitter Emily Hellmuth (4) spikes the ball during the game against the Texas Longhorns at Reed Arena on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
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Texas A&M head volleyball coach Jamie Morrison walks the court during the game against the Texas Longhorns at Reed Arena on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
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Texas A&M middle blocker Ifenna Cos-Okpalla (1) jumps to block a ball tipped by Texas Longhorns setter Rella Binney (3) during the game at Reed Arena on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
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Texas A&M fans cheer after a defensive block during the game against the Texas Longhorns at Reed Arena on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
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Texas Longhorns libero Ramsey Gary (32) steps up to serve during the game against Texas A&M at Reed Arena on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
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Texas Longhorns outside hitter Cari Spears (23) reacts to a blocked spike during the game against Texas A&M at Reed Arena on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
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Texas A&M outside hitter Taryn Morris (6) and middle blocker Ifenna Cos-Okpalla (1) jump to block a spike during the game against the Texas Longhorns at Reed Arena on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
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Texas A&M players celebrate beating the Texas Longhorns in the annual Lone Star Showdown volleyball rivalry match at Reed Arena on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
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Texas A&M players celebrate beating the Texas Longhorns in the annual Lone Star Showdown volleyball rivalry match at Reed Arena on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
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Texas A&M players celebrate beating the Texas Longhorns in the annual Lone Star Showdown volleyball rivalry match at Reed Arena on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
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Texas A&M libero Tatum Thomas (3) picks up the Lone Star Showdown trophy after beating the Texas Longhorns at Reed Arena on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
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Follow along for live game updates:
Spears kill goes long to make it 12-9. Ames is blocked at the net to extend the Wildcat lead. A Hudson kill finds the back line for match point and throws down a kill for the win.
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Kentucky is called for a net fault and a Vander Wal kill ties the match at eight. Texas goes to Vander Wal again who finds a touch, but Kentucky challenges there was a touch and the call was reversed to be 9-8 Wildcats. Vander Wal finds the block to tie it at nine. Kentucky makes it 10 after a kill could not be contained. Hudson gets the kill. Texas calls for a timeout.
Spears’ kill ties it at seven. Kentucky tools the block to make it eight. Time to switch sides.
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Bunton swings into the Kentucky block to extend the lead to three. But Stafford goes angle to cut the deficit to two. Spears floats a ball over that lands in the middle of the court. But a Swindle service error makes it a two-point lead again. But a Stafford kill could not be contained by the Wildcats.
Texas is called for the net violation trying to block the Kentucky kill; Elliott challenges the call and the call is confirmed. Kentucky responds with a kill that goes angle. Texas calls a timeout.
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Texas opens the set with a Stafford kill and Hudson block, but Kentucky sends down a kill. A Stafford kill goes long to tie it. Swindle takes it for herself and gets a touch on the throw down. But Kentucky responds with the block.
Vander Wal gets a touch on a kill to hold off the Wildcats, 24-22. But a dig from Stafford hits one of the pins to give Kentucky the set win.
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Out of the Kentucky time out, Stafford comes flying out of the back row for a kill. Spears joins on the fun to make it 21-20, but a Hudson kill keeps Texas down, 22-20. A Kentucky service error brings the Longhorns within one. Texas is called for a net violation to make it 23-21, Kentucky. A kill from Spears goes wide to make it set point for the Wildcats. Texas calls a time out.
Texas goes on a 3-0 run after a Kentucky kill and forces the Wildcats to call a timeout.
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Elliott calls a timeout after a Kentucky ace to reach the redzone.
Carr throws down a ball that hung in the air a bit too long. Texas challenges for contact on a Vander Wal kill to make it 16-13, upon review. DeLeye stops any Texas momentum after flying to make the kill. Stafford finds the court for the back row kill, but a Halter service error makes it 18-14. Stafford finds a spot on the court to throw it down.
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Hudson is heating up for the Wildcats and her third kill makes Texas call a timeout.
Stafford’s swings are willing the Longhorns into the match but a service error had too much sauce on it to keep Kentucky ahead 12-10. Texas challenges a Texas kill that landed out and the call was overturned to get within one, but Hudson flies to extend the lead 13-11. Kentucky goes to Hudson again and tools the block. A Wildcat service error cuts the defecit.
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Two kills by Spears tie the match for Texas but DeLeye lands a ball that Spears tried to pancake for the 8-7 lead. Texas was called for double contact to extend the lead by two. Texas’ block stuffs a DeLeye kill. A Stafford kill ties the match at nine. A Texas free ball finds its way to Kentucky’s Hudson for a kill.
A Bunton ace continues the Texas run, but a Carr kill stops the run. Spears goes for the kill but the Wildcats go back to Carr for the kill. Spears comes flying out of the back row to cut the deficit.
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Kentucky strikes first with an offspeed that could not be pancaked and a Spears kill goes wide. Hudson nails an angled shot to start the Wildcats on a 3-0 run. Texas is called for the net violation after a rally full of pancakes and digs on the wrist. A Kentucky free ball fails to clear the net to give Texas’ its first point. A Vander Wal kill cuts into the lead.
Illegal contact on Texas makes it 23-22 Longhorns. A Swindle kill makes it match point, but Hudson makes it a second match point. Texas is challenging there was contact on an Ames kill but the call is confirmed to tie it at 24. A bad pass from Halter makes it Kentucky set point and Thigpen responds to take the fourth set.
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Binney serves an error to put Kentucky in the redzone. Vander Wal is blocked at the net and Texas calls a timeout.
Ames goes for the offspeed kill in the middle of the court and swings hard in the middle to extend the lead.
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DeLeye goes for the kill but Spears responds with a swing of her own. Stafford’s serve is long for a Kentucky point.
Stafford goes angle to put the Longhorns in the redzone.
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Some calls have not gone Kentucky’s way and are playing with a lot more intensity in the middle of a 4-1 run. But an Ames kill creates some separation for the Longhorns. Kentucky is called for four contacts after a Kahahawai kill.
Kentucky is finding its rhythm and is not afraid to swing but Wildcat kills are going everywhere. Texas’ front is doing a better job reading the Kentucky defense. A Wildcat kill finally finds the court but the offense stalls on a service error.
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Kentucky rallies off three kills but a service error stops the run. A Halter dig saves a Texas point and Stafford tools the block. But Texas’ momentum stalls after being called in the net. Ames throws down a kill at the net.
Kentucky calls a timeout after a DeLeye attack error. Five of the seven points for the Longhorns have been Kentucky errors.
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Kentucky opens set three with a DeLeye service error and an attack error that hit the right pin to give Texas a 2-0 lead. Kentucky is trying to find its groove as Texas just keeps rolling.
Vander Wal goes off speed for the fifth Texas set point. Ames and Swindle combine for a block to take set two.
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A Kentucky kill stops the Texas run out of the time out, but a Texas block stops a Kentucky rally. The Longhorns win a joust to make it 23-22 and a Stafford kill ties the match 23-23. Another Stafford kill makes it set point but a Kentucky kill ties it at 24. Texas goes to Nya Bunton in the middle to make it set point again, but a Hudson kill ties it at 25. Vander Wal fully lays out for the receive and Spears sides out the kill for the fourth set point. Kentucky goes to the Carr for a kill in the middle of the court to tie it at 26.
A Stafford kill takes a sharp angle to land in to bring the Longhorns within three. An Emma Halter pancake was unsuccessful to save a Texas kill but Kentucky’s challenge overturned the call to make it a four point difference. However, two straight Stafford kills brings the Longhorns within two points and forces a Kentucky timeout.
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Texas calls a timeout after a Kentucky block puts the Wildcats in the red zone. Texas is giving themselves opportunities to close the gap but Kentucky is starting to anticipate the Longhorns offense.
Swindle’s service error gives Kentucky a three point lead out of the timeout. A rally with two free balls to Texas is completed with a Bunton kill but Eva Hudson sends a ball flying to the back row. Kentucky’s Carr’s offspeed could not be dug up for the Longhorns, but Texas responds with a block to close the deficit to three.
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The Longhorns go on a 2-0 run forcing Kentucky to call a time out. Texas has been attacking the left pin during the run led by Stafford and Spears.
Texas gets a gift of a Kentucky service error to help close the gap. Texas is having good points and are finding a good groove on offense. But Kentucky has met the Texas challenge. Kentucky service error closes the gap a bit.
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Bunton throws down a kill but a few sloppy turns on offense force Elliott to call a timeout.
Set two opens with with a Texas service error and a pair Kentucky aces. A Stafford kill gets the Longhorns on the board but it’s short lived after a Hudson kill.
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Ayden Ames’ kill goes long for the Longhorns. Cari Spears serves the first error for Texas on set point and Vander Wal’s kill lands in the middle of the court to win the set.
Longhorns stay aggressive at the net behind five Vander Wal kills this set and a couple of successful jousts. But Kentucky is coming after a few Texas mistakes on serve receive. Devin Kahahawai throws it down and Kentucky calls a timeout.
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A few Kentucky kills go long to extend Texas’ lead. The Wildcats call a timeout. So far Texas’ offense is flawless with zero attack errors or service errors.
Freshman Abby Vander Wal is leading the kills for the Longhorns with three. Swindle throws down an offspead for an early lead.
