Thanks to a balanced offensive performance across the net and the return of senior right side hitter Reagan Rutherford, the No. 23 Kentucky volleyball team picked up its first sweep of the season Sunday afternoon, downing No. 10 Tennessee in straight sets in Knoxville (25-20, 26-24, 27-25).
When these two teams met in late September, the Vols easily handled Kentucky inside of Rupp Arena, sweeping the Cats for their first win in Lexington since 2010. The Cats hit just .134 through three sets of play and totaled only 36 kills as a team.
But Sunday’s match proved to be a different story, in large part because Rutherford, who hadn’t played in a match since September 17 due to injury, returned to the lineup for her first match of Southeastern Conference play.