Kentucky hopes to continue the happy times tonight in Omaha when it plays UNLV. (Vicky Graff Photo)
After a three-week layoff and a totally new format for the NCAA Championships, Kentucky volleyball coach Craig Skinner knows there is a lot of uncertainty going into the team’s first NCAA match tonight.
Kentucky is 19-1 and the No. 2 overall seed in the 48-team tournament. UK had a first-round bye and plays UNLV, a four-set winner over Illinois State Wednesday. The match from the CHI Heart Centre bubble in Omaha will start at 7 p.m. ET/6 p.m. CT and be streamed live on ESPN3 and the ESPN app. A win would put UK into the Sweet Sixteen.
“Teams that perform the best play pretty loose and stay in the present,” Skinner said. “We have to be okay if we come out and we are up 7-0 or they are up 7-0. It never really starts the way people anticipate. Think about Gonzaga-Baylor (in the NCAA basketball title game) or no one thought South Carolina and Connecticut would lose (in the NCAA women’s tourney).
“You are going to see bigger blocks, better athletes across the board. You have to be able to kill the ball when you are not perfect and it is not like it was drawn up in practice.”
Kentucky had some false positive COVID tests after arriving in Omaha and Skinner said there is a “level of anxiety” as players have to go through testing before they can play. However, he said despite having a few players “banged up” that everybody “elite” should be ready to play.
Kentucky does not have as much size as some elite teams but that doesn’t worry Skinner as UK chases its first national title.
“We make up for size or height with athleticism in the middle,” the UK coach said. “If I have to choose height or athleticism, I will choose athleticism 10 times. I like the athleticism we have in there. Part of that is ball control and, obviously having a great setter (Madison Lilley).”
Skinner said recent practices, training and interaction have convinced him his team has approached NCAA play similar to what it did the rest of the season.
“The seniors have had a lot of expectations and have been dealing with that. This just seems like the next chapter,” Skinner said. “Is there expectations and pressure? Absolutely but that’s a privilege our players wanted.”
Skinner did say players have been wondering what the atmosphere would be like with multiple matches going on at the same time. He also says UK is not the only team trying to compensate for a long layoff.
“It is what it is. I can’t stand that phrase and cannot believe I just used it,” Skinner laughed and said.
