The LSU volleyball team will attempt to recover from back-to-back losses for the first time this season as it continues Southeastern Conference play today against Texas A&M at Reed Arena in College Station, Texas.
The Tigers (10-3, 0-1 SEC) are coming off a three-game loss to the defending national champion Texas Longhorns and are eager to get back in the groove that saw them start the year on a seven-game win streak.
Despite the sweep, head coach Fran Flory said the team is taking several positives from its match against Texas as it shifts its focus to the Aggies (9-5, 1-2 SEC).
“The best part for me is our defense withstood [Texas’ game plan],” Flory said. “Our defense did a really good job of extending rallies.”
LSU is 3-5 against Texas A&M in the Flory era, but the team is excited to further a great rivalry and avenge the home loss it suffered at the hand of the Aggies last season.
The match is also a key opportunity for the Tigers to notch their first SEC victory of the season.
“The A&M-LSU rivalry is one in every sport that is a great rivalry,” Flory said. “We should expect a really physical match.”
Flory said the Aggies have outperformed expectations so far this season after losing five seniors who were instrumental in their division championship run a year ago.
The Tigers are happy to get lone senior Desiree Elliott back from injury and are in the process of working her into the rotation. Elliott hasn’t seen much action in the early part of the season.
Flory said Elliott brings an element of quickness that could come in handy against Texas A&M.
“Putting [Elliott] in there means we can out-quick some people,” Flory said. “She can go under and around some people.”
Flory also said Elliott is a great complement to the more physical styles of sophomore middle blocker Khourtni Fears and freshman middle blocker Briana Holman.
Despite being in the midst of its first losing streak, LSU knows what it has to do to get back on the victory track.
“We need to work on doing a little more,” said junior setter Malorie Pardo. “We just need to do that little extra in practice that results in a plus on the court.”