The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
5-5,1-1SEC
Kentucky
10-2,2-0SEC
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 23 | 20 | 21 | 0 |
| Kentucky | 25 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
No. 7 Volleyball drops three-set match at No. 3 Kentucky
09.27.2026 | Volleyball
Longhorns drop first SEC road match in front of fourth-largest crowd in Kentucky history.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – No. 7 Texas Volleyball fell to No. 3 Kentucky, 25-23, 25-20, 25-21, on Sunday afternoon in front of 6,147 fans at Memorial Coliseum, the fourth-largest crowd in Kentucky volleyball history.
Texas (5-5, 1-1 SEC) held leads late in the first and third sets, but Kentucky (10-2, 2-0) closed both frames to earn the sweep.
Torrey Stafford led Texas with 12 kills and six digs, while Cari Spears added 11 kills, seven digs and three blocks. Nya Bunton collected six kills on .385 hitting and tallied four blocks. Taylor Harvey finished with a co-match-high five blocks, and Rella Binney recorded 30 assists. Ramsey Gary led the Longhorns with 12 digs.
Texas opened the match with a 4-0 run behind a pair of blocks from Bunton and Spears and a solo block from Henley Anderson. The Longhorns maintained the lead through the middle of the set and held a 22-21 advantage following a Harvey kill. Kentucky answered with consecutive points to take a 23-22 lead before Spears tied the set at 23-23. The Wildcats then scored the final two points to take the opening set, 25-23.
Kentucky carried its momentum into the second set, building a 16-11 advantage. Texas trimmed the deficit to 16-13 after a Spears kill, but the Wildcats responded with a 5-1 run to extend their lead. Bunton and Anderson each added kills during a late Texas push, but Kentucky closed the set, 25-20, to take a 2-0 lead.
Texas jumped ahead 7-4 in the third set and led 8-6 after a Stafford kill. Kentucky rallied to take a 10-9 lead before Texas answered with three straight points, including back-to-back Stafford kills, to move ahead 14-13. The Longhorns later led 15-13, but Kentucky scored five of the next six points to take an 18-16 advantage. Texas continued to battle, pulling within one at 19-18 after a Bunton solo block and tying the set at 19-19 on a Spears kill. Kentucky regained control and held a 23-21 lead before closing the match with the final two points.
The matched marked the Longhorns fifth top-10 matchup of the season and ninth against a ranked opponent.
Texas returns home Friday, Oct. 2, for a matchup with Mississippi State. First serve is set for 6:30 p.m. CT at Gregory Gymnasium. The match will mark Texas' first home contest in 19 days and its first at Gregory Gym in 30 days, the longest stretches between regular-season home matches and matches at Gregory Gym during the Jerritt Elliott era.
Texas Volleyball is Presented by Huntington Bank
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