A lot of intangible factors go into which team wins a volleyball match, momentum being at the top of the list.
Volleyball is as mental as it is physical, and the first set of a volleyball match might be the most important. It sets the tone for what’s to come, and it’s a lot easier for a team to win two out of four sets than three out of four. 
The LSU volleyball team has found a way to start winning its first sets, and it has played a large role in its current nine-game winning streak. 
“I think it’s a credit to our game plan and our preparation,” said LSU coach Fran Flory. “Our kids have really bought into watching video and preparing. They’re putting extra hours in preparing and knowing what to expect, and we’ve been right.”
The Tigers have won nine of the 10 matches in which they’ve started with a first-set victory, six of which have happened during their winning streak. In comparison, LSU is sub-.500 in matches that its dropped its first sets. 
An inability to gain an edge early in matches led to a slow start to the season for the Tigers. They lost the first set in eight of their first 12 matches, leading to a 5-7 record and three straight Southeastern Conference losses to open the season. 
“At the beginning of the season, we didn’t get the opportunity to play at home. The younger players didn’t know what it was like to have that pumped up feeling to go and play,” said LSU senior setter Malorie Pardo. “Now that we have that, I think it’s helped.”
But LSU has since figured out how to start matches fast and take advantage of early situations.
LSU won the opening sets in six of the first seven games in its winning streak, four of which ended in sweeps of its opponents.
“The opportunity to play at home helps a lot because we get really excited to play and our adrenaline’s going,” Pardo said. “Getting to do that here carries us through the road.”
While Flory lauded her team’s commitment to the gameplan, she remained wary after LSU’s seventh consecutive win against Georgia of what may happen if a team made the proper adjustments. 
“The good news is we’ve been right,” Flory said. “The bad news is when we’re wrong, I don’t know what will happen with our group. If somebody makes some adjustments, that may shake our confidence a little bit.”
Flory found that out in the Tigers’ next two matches, when they lost their first set to South Carolina on Friday and their first two sets against Arkansas on Sunday.
In each contest, LSU responded with three consecutive set wins for a comeback victory. 
As LSU continues its streak and looks to push it to 10 games, Flory said she and the Tigers only wish they would have hit their stride earlier. 
“They’re mad that they didn’t take advantage of things when they had the chance in the beginning,” Flory said. “The fact that we didn’t succeed early drives us to not let opportunities slip by.” 
 You can reach Tyler Nunez on Twitter @Nunez_TDR.