Top-ranked U of L volleyball moves into the sweet 16 with another straight set win

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Louisville pushed its record to 30-0 and advanced to the sweet 16 of the NCAA volleyball tournament with a 3-0 win over Ball State at the L&N Federal Credit Union Arena on the U of L campus.

"I'm just really proud," said Louisville head coach Dani Busboom Kelly on the win. "This is our third Sweet 16 in a row and it wasn't that long ago when just that was a huge goal for us, so it's pretty exciting that we're back there for a third time."

Ball State pushed the tournaments top overall seed in the first set before the homestanding Cards prevailed 29-27. Louisville had an easier time in sets two and three, winning 25-11 and 25-19 to claim its 22nd straight set victory in its 30 wins.

Aiko Jones had 10 kills on 18 swings and Anna Stevenson recorded her 1,000th career kill. Anna DeBeer added 9 kills, Stevenson had 7.

Louisville will host Florida in the sweet 16 next week at Freedom Hall.

In other second round action, defending national champion Kentucky, the 7th seed in this tournament was knocked off by Illinois 3 sets to 1 in Lexington this afternoon. WKU lost in three straight sets to 8th-seeded Georgia Tech.