By Michael Adams
Austin Sports Journal

No. 2 Kentucky erased a two-set deficit against Texas on Tuesday night, rallying for a 19-25, 26-28, 26-24, 25-22, 15-9 victory to claim the SEC Tournament championship at Enmarket Arena.

The Wildcats (25-2, 15-0 SEC) completed a perfect conference tournament run and secured an automatic bid into next month’s NCAA Tournament, not that there was any doubt.

The Longhorns (23-3, 13-2 SEC) controlled the match early and grabbed a two-set lead behind a dominant offensive performance from Torrey Stafford, who finished with a match-high 28 kills on .471 hitting. Texas hit .439 in the opening set and followed with another strong frame in the second, fending off a late Kentucky rally to win 28-26.

The Longhrosn continued to apply pressure in the third, but Kentucky began to swing the momentum late in the set. The Wildcats edged the Longhorns 26-24, trimming Texas’ lead to 2-1 and shifting the momentum of the match.

Kentucky carried that momentum into the fourth, hitting .378 and pulling away late to force a decisive fifth set. The Wildcats jumped out early in the final frame, and the Longhorns struggled to regain its offensive rhythm, hitting .042 in the set as Kentucky closed out the match.

Abby Vander Wal and Cari Spears each added 15 kills for Texas, while Nya Bunton chipped in six. Setter Ella Swindle recorded 47 assists and 17 digs, helping guide a Longhorn attack that finished at .301 for the match. Libero Emma Halter anchored the back row with a match-high 26 digs, moving her to ninth on Texas’ all-time list.

Kentucky’s Eva Hudson led all wildcats with 25 kills, while Asia Thigpen added 10 on .500 hitting.

Texas will move on to the NCAA Tournament and will likely host the first two rounds. The selection show scheduled for Sunday at 5 p.m. on ESPN. 

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