Kentucky VB is already rollin' and they haven't even played this week

There was no match on Monday, but there was still a victory for No. 19 Kentucky volleyball. Two Wildcats took home conference awards on Monday, which should give them a confidence boost before a mid-week tilt versus Ole Miss on Wednesday night.

Reagan Rutherford was awarded for dominant recent performances by taking home SEC Player of the Week and SEC Offensive Player of the Week. Emma Grome was awarded SEC Setter of the Week, an award that she should either keep permanently or just have renamed the “Emma Grome Award”. Grome has now been SEC Setter of the Week three times this season.

POTY shouts

While there is still a large part of the season remaining, it may be time to think about what more Rutherford would have to do to win SEC Player of the Year. Rutherford has won SEC Player of the Week twice, the first time coming after the ‘Cats swept the 2022 Bluejay Invitational early in the year.

Rutherford was oh so close to recording a triple-double on Friday night in Fayetteville. She walked away with 26 kills, 14 digs and nine blocks. Just another day at the office, right?

It’s truly impossible to think where this Kentucky team would be without Rutherford. She’s been the best player on the squad and has consistently torched her opponents. With Azhani Tealer just getting healthy this past weekend and Adanna Rollins missing a couple of matches, Rutherford has always been on the floor to provide Kentucky offense.

SEC POTY should be attainable; the crazy thing is, what more could Rutherford even do to boost her case?

Siri, play “Grome Street”

Perhaps a more underrated shout to Kentucky’s recent success is the play of Grome. She’s been crucial for the ‘Cats during this recent five-game winning streak.

Over 110 assists came from the sophomore setter this past weekend against Arkansas. Grome recorded a career-high tying 63 assists in Kentucky’s five-set victory on Saturday in Fayetteville. Wonder why Rutherford has been so lights out this season? Grome could be the easy answer providing her with so many opportunities to terminate.

Grome’s three SEC Setter of the Week awards are impressive, but she’s been this good since last year. She was the SEC Freshman of the Year last season and was named to the 2021 All-Freshman Team.

OK, but there are still matches to be played right?

Yes, of course. Kentucky faces off against Ole Miss at 8 p.m. on Wednesday night (8:00 p.m. EST on the SEC Network) and will look to put its five-game winning streak on the line. The Wildcats are in Memorial Coliseum for the first time in 10 days.

Kentucky is 10-5 (5-1) and currently tied for first place in the SEC with Florida and Auburn.

A first-place team, a POTY candidate, yet Ole Miss is the only thing that matters. Game by game, you know the drill.