Volleyball knocks off No. 11 Kentucky in five sets

Box Score (PDF)

LEXINGTON, Kentucky - Aubrey Hamilton had 18 kills in her Marquette debut, including the clinching point, as the women's volleyball team held off No. 11 Kentucky in five sets at Memorial Coliseum.

Hamilton hit .300, while adding seven digs and a pair of blocks, as one of eight MU players making their debut for the Golden Eagles (1-0).

Marquette claimed the first two frames, 25-21 and 25-22, before dropping the third and fourth, 25-18 and 25-16, respectively.

An Ella Foti kill put MU up 8-5 at the switch in the final frame and went up 9-5 to cap a 5-0 run. Middle blocker Hattie Bray and Hamilton provided the final two kills for the 15-12 fifth-set win.

Adanna Rollins led the Wildcats (0-1) with 28 kills on .473 hitting.

NOTABLES:

The win is Marquette's first over a ranked opponent since a sweep of No. 19 Creighton on Feb. 6, 2021 in Omaha.
MU has won its last 11 season openers, including all nine matches under head coach Ryan Theis.
Two-time NJCAA National Player of the Year Yadhira Anchante posted 38 assists, 14 digs, five kills and a block in her NCAA debut for Marquette.
MU libero Carly Skrabak tied her MU high with 26 digs.
Middle blocker Hattie Bray, who redshirted last season, started her first career match and posted six kills and a block.
Freshman outside hitters Natalie Ring and Ella Holmstrom each recorded kills in their NCAA debuts, while classmates Sienna Ifill and Adriana Studer also saw game action.
Ella Foti also made her debut at MU with 12 kills on .346 hitting, nine digs and a block.
Friday's match was the season opener for both squads, who also met last year in Milwaukee.
Kentucky, which has won five straight SEC titles and the 2020 NCAA Championship, defeated Dayton, 3-1, in its lone exhibition this fall on Saturday.
SERIES WITH UK: Marquette has faced off five times against Kentucky and holds a 2-4 record all-time against the Wildcats. Most recently, the Golden Eagles fell, 3-0, to the Wildcats on Sept. 11, 2021 at the Al McGuire Center.
MU trailed 18-14 in the second frame before a 7-1 run paced it to the set victory. MU closed the set with the final three points after UK had knotted things at 22.

UP NEXT: The Golden Eagles face Ohio University on Saturday, Aug. 27 in a 3 p.m. Central time matinee before returning home. Saturday's match will be broadcast through ESPN+.

Keep up with the Marquette University women's volleyball program through social media by following on Twitter (@MarquetteVB) and Instagram (@MarquetteVB) and 'liking' on Facebook (/MarquetteVolleyball).