Cards Down Volunteers 4-1 in Spring Match

Friday, April 10

LOUISVILLE, KY

University of Louisville

Tennessee

April 10, 2026 | Women's Volleyball

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Chloe Meester serves four aces and Brooke Bultema logs 14 kills in Louisville debut

By: Erin Hughes

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Chloe Chicoine had 15 kills to lead the University of Louisville to a 25-16, 25-21, 25-23, 18-25 and 25-23 over Tennessee in the only home spring match Friday night in L&N Federal Credit Union Arena.

The two squads agreed to play five sets to 25 prior to the match. Newcomer Brooke Bultema had 14 kills on 23 swings and redshirt Chloe Meester had four aces and nine kills. Kalyssa Blackshear added 11 kills and Hannah Kenny had a team-high 13 digs. Setter Nayelis Cabello recorded 36 assists with Kamden Schrand adding 11 digs.

Set 1: Tennessee 16, Louisville 25
Tennessee took the first point on a kill, but two straight errors from the Vols put Louisville on the board. The teams traded points as Blackshear, Chicoine, Bultema and Cabello all tabbed kills as the Cards went ahead 7-5. Meester served an ace and Sherman stuffed a solo block to add on to the lead, with UofL leading 14-9 as UT took its first timeout. After more kills from Chicoine and Bultema and a block connection between Petersen and Bultema, Louisville was first to 20 points after Petersen's first kill. Meester served her second ace to force a second Tennessee timeout as the Vols were down 21-13. An attacking error and a service error from UT finished out the first set with a 25-16 score in favor of the Cards.

Set 2: Tennessee 21, Louisville 25
The second set featured nine tie scores before the first timeout. Tennessee's first two points came on a block and a kill before Blackshear put Louisville on the board with a kill of her own. Chicoine, Bultema, and Cabello each recorded kills and Blackshear and Sherman connected for a block to tie the game at 8-all. The Cards took their first lead of the set at 10-9 after a kill from Chicoine, but the Vols fought back to lead 16-13. With UofL down 21-20, the first timeout was called by Louisville, and Chicoine tied it at 21 with a kill out of the break. The Cards finished on a 5-0 run with Chicoine getting to set point at 24-21 and Bultema and Cabello combining for a block to end the set 25-21.

Set 3: Tennessee 23, Louisville 25
Meester grabbed the first point of the set with her third ace of the match before Tennessee responded with a kill. Louisville led 5-3 off of errors, but the Vols went on a 6-0 run to take the lead 9-5. Chicoine launched a kill out of the back row to end the run and the teams continued to trade points, with UT eventually leading 13-8. The Cards took three straight points on kills from Addison Makun and Blackshear and a block connection between Blackshear and Bultema. Tennessee added one point on a kill, but three consecutive kills from Bultema tied the set a 14-14. A 4-0 run that featured two solo blocks from Makun helped UofL get to a 19-16 lead as the Vols took their first timeout. More kills from Blackshear and Chicoine and another ace from Meester had Louisville ahead 23-21, but UT locked the score at 23-all after two straight kills. The duo of Blackshear and Bultema teamed up for their second block of the set to get set point, and Chicoine sealed the set win 25-23 with a kill.

Set 4: Tennessee 25, Louisville 18
Meester again scored Louisville's first point with a kill before the teams went back and forth, tying six times through the next 17 points. With the score tied at 10, Tennessee used a 6-0 run to retake the lead. The Vols maintained their lead as the Cards could not get within more than two, with UT taking a 22-18 lead before the second timeout. Kills from Tennessee and an error by UofL saw the Vols win the set 25-18.

Set 5: Tennessee 23, Louisville 25
Ava Utterback led off the set with a kill before Elli Strecker backed her up with a kill to lead 3-2. Points bounced around, with Utterback serving an ace, before Tennessee pulled ahead 8-6 after four straight scores. The teams traded 3-0 runs, with Utterback tabbing another kill and Jordyn Gray adding her first kill. The Vols went on a commanding 4-0 run, but the Cards answered with seven straight points of their own to lead 19-16. The run was highlighted by kills and a block from Utterback, an ace for Hannah Kenny and a block between Gray and Strecker. Both clubs logged more kills and errors to keep the match tight, but Gray knocked down a kill to put UofL at set point 24-22. UT added one more point, but Utterback ended the match with her eighth kill.

Louisville will face Kentucky on Friday, April 17, in Lexington, Ky., to finish out the spring slate.