#6 Louisville Volleyball Stays HOT, Sweeps #9 Texas

Two weeks ago, the Louisville volleyball team came home from opening weekend 1-1, with a four-set win over Texas A&M & on the wrong side of a sweep at the hands of Wisconsin. Coach Dan Meske emphasized better back row play and first touch on rallies. Since that trip to Milwaukee, the Cards have four sweeps (three coming against top-20 opponents.)

When the Longhorns and Cards get together, it is always a high-stakes affair. Louisville asserted themselves on the college volleyball scene in 2019, knocking off the Longhorns in Austin in the Sweet 16. It was Texas’ first home loss in the tournament since 2006 & clinched Louisville’s first trip to the Elite Eight.

In 2022, the two squads met up in Omaha for the national championship, the Longhorns swept the Cardinals. In 2025, the Cards dropped a five-set match to the Horns in Dallas.

Today, in front of a massive Louisville contingent in Nashville, the Cards swept preseson No. 2 Texas (25-12, 28-26, 25-16).

Chloe Meester kept up her dominant week, leading the Cards with 13 kills and a block. Chloe Chicoine was solid as usual with 12 kills and six digs.

Then the “Great Wall of Louisville” stepped up and continuously denied Texas at the net, not letting them gain any momentum. Kalyssa Blackshear had 10 kills and was credited with six blocks. Addison Makun, who made her presence felt in the Dayton match Monday and got her first start Friday vs TCU was credited with five blocks. Brooke Bultema had seven kills and four blocks.

In set one, it was back and forth until Nayelis Cabello led the Cards on a six-point service run to take a 16-7 lead. Cabello finished the match with 36 assists and 10 digs. A Texas service error, followed by a Payton Petersen ace and Blackshear kill gave the Cards a 21-9 lead. A pair of service errors by the Horns capped off a 25-12 win for The Ville.

Set two was a more back and forth affair. The Cards got out to a quick 4-1 lead behind Petersen’s serving and Blackshear at the net. The race to the media timeout saw Louisville take a lead 15-12. The “Great Wall” kept Louisville in the back-and-forth action that saw Texas take a 25-24 lead. Meester and Chicoine had back-to-back kills to give Louisville a 26-25 lead. Texas would tie it on a kill, then Blackshear finished it with two straight kills to give Louisville the 28-26 win in the set.

The Cards jumped out 4-1 in the third set with a kill by Chicoine, Blackshear and Petersen ace. A balanced attack would see the Cards take the 15-11 lead into the media timeout. Bultema would have four kills the rest of the way and the Cards pulled out the third 25-16.

Next up for the red-hot Cards, is the first match at the KFC Yum! Center against the Missouri Tigers in an “ACC-SEC Showdown at the Net”. First serve is at 7 pm and the match will be streamed on the ACC Network.

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