New coach, new stars – no problem? Dan Meske and Louisville Volleyball are continuing the winning ways.
Louisville volleyball looks to continue its run as a national powerhouse, and with the first season of the Dan Meske era underway, there has already been plenty of success to celebrate — as well as adversity to overcome. Meske began this season facing questions about whether he could get Louisville over the hump of a national championship, a goal that eluded them during the Dani Busboom Kelly era. Those doubts grew after the Cards dropped two early top-10 matchups against Texas and rival Kentucky.
Still, Louisville has rebounded impressively, starting the season 12-2 with those being their only two losses.
Cardinals > Cardinal
Louisville Volleyball entered this week [week of October 6th] ranked No. 6 in the country, set to face fourth-ranked Stanford. After the setbacks against Texas and Kentucky, Louisville was in dire need of a signature win — and Meske’s squad delivered. The Cards secured a 3-1 victory over Stanford, though familiar late-game struggles appeared at times.
Earlier in the season, against Kentucky for instance, Louisville led 2-1 before letting momentum slip away in a heartbreaking loss.
This time, however, Meske’s team held firm, closing out the match with authority — a satisfying result for Cards fans everywhere. The win also propelled Louisville up to No. 5 in the AVCA rankings.
Records Are Never Safe With Dan Meske
Louisville has played some of its best volleyball on the road, and that trend continued against Stanford. The Cards snapped the Cardinal’s 20-match home winning streak in the process. This wasn’t the first time Louisville has spoiled a streak this year — earlier, they ended No. 18 Creighton’s 32-match home winning run in Omaha. Meske has shown that his team is prepared to thrive in hostile environments, a promising sign for the rest of the season.
Watch It’s 5:02 Somewhere with former Louisville Volleyball athlete Aiko Jones
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Conference Recognition for the Cards
Louisville’s big win over Stanford also brought some ACC recognition. Middle blocker Cara Crese continued her dominance, finishing with 13 kills and eight blocks to earn ACC Defensive Player of the Week honors. She wasn’t the only Cardinal recognized — Nayelis Cabello was named ACC Setter of the Week after recording an impressive 46 assists, showcasing Louisville’s offensive efficiency in the victory.
Carrying momentum Into the weekend
Louisville Volleyball looks to carry this momentum into their matchup against conference rival Virginia Tech on Friday, October 10. Meske and company aim to extend its dominance in the series, which the Cards lead 28-4 all-time.
Louisville has also won the last four meetings, including a decisive 3-0 victory in their most recent matchup. In just the first year of the Dan Meske era, Louisville volleyball has already made a strong statement — showing the nation that even with Dani Busboom Kelly’s departure, they haven’t lost a step.
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