The Kentucky volleyball team faced adversity several times this season. But probably not as much as they faced on Tuesday night against Texas in the Southeastern Conference Tournament championship match.Facing the No. 3 Longhorns, the Cats fell behind by losing the first two sets to a Texas team that UK had swept in the regular season. And in the third set, UK faced not one but three match points. And both times, Kentucky was able to stave off elimination.
Kentucky would win the third set 26-24 to stay alive. The Cats then won the fourth set 25-22. And UK completed the reverse sweep by winning the fifth set 15-9.
UK head coach Craig Skinner was impressed by how his team refused to fold.“It said a lot to us as a staff in that third set to be able to pull that out,” Skinner said. “The guts, the grit, the toughness, the resiliency of our team to come back from 7-2, three match points for Texas, to be able to win that third set was massive. Anything worthy in life is earned and these guys earned every bit of it.”
Senior Eva Hudson was the leader of the Cats on Tuesday night. She had 25 kills and 11 digs and refused to let her team lose. Hudson liked the fight the Cats showed on Tuesday.
“It just shows how much grit we have,” Hudson told the SEC Network after the match. “Not one second did we doubt each other. We leaned on each other and I’m just so proud of these girls.”
How does Hudson remain confident, even in times of trouble? “I think it comes from the confidence that I know my people behind me are going to cover me and I can take big reps in big moments,” she said.
Libero Molly Tuozzo, who was named the tournament’s most valuable player, spoke about her team after the match.“It’s so special. I just love this team so much,” she said. “We just have such a special bond. I’m just excited to celebrate with them.”
Tuozzo knows how important it is to wear the Kentucky jersey. “I mean, I love this team so much,” she said. “They don’t compare to any other one. I think we all love each other so much and play with so much pride to wear Kentucky across our chest, so we just always show out for each other.”
Tuozzo knows what sets this group apart.“We’re a pack of wolves,” Tuozzo said. “We’ve got that fight in us.”Tuozzo was thrilled that the Cats followed their regular season championship with a tournament title.“Very, very special,” she said. “It’s an amazing feeling we didn’t want to share,” Tuozzo said. “So, we didn’t get one, we got two!”
Skinner pointed out the difficult feat that his 2025 team has accomplished.“It’s a special team,” Skinner said. “I can’t tell you how hard it is to go undefeated in conference with so many different variables coming at you every single day. But this team came to work every single day and gave themselves to each other and that’s a special bond that these guys will remember for the rest of their lives.”
For now, the Cats will enjoy celebrating their SEC Tournament championship which followed the regular season title.