The LSU volleyball team will put its nine-game winning streak on the line Thursday when it travels to College Station, Texas, for its contest with Texas A&M that could have post-season implications.
With six games remaining in their season, the Tigers (14-7, 9-3 Southeastern Conference) currently sit at No. 3 in the conference while the Aggies (15-7, 7-4 SEC) hold the fifth spot, 1.5 games behind LSU.
While the Tigers go into their second consecutive road game riding their longest conference winning streak since the 2009 season, LSU coach Fran Flory said the Aggies pose a bigger threat than many of the teams they have defeated during their run.
“For the first time in a while we’re playing a team with a bigger target on its back than ours,” Flory said. “It will be interesting to see how we respond to that. We’ve played a lot of teams that on paper, we should be beating up until now.”
LSU may lead the Aggies in the conference standings, but the Tigers will be looking to prove their worth against a team that currently sits eight places higher in the NCAA RPI and recently dropped out of the American Volleyball Coaches Association Top 25.
A talented Texas A&M squad presents a tough challenge, but the Tigers first and foremost have to avoid beating themselves, according to Flory.
LSU struggled in its last two wins. After winning the first sets of six of its first seven games during the streak, the Tigers gave up early leads to both South Carolina and Arkansas before mounting comebacks.
“We haven’t really played at a super high level recently,” Flory said. “We’ve played a few sets here and there that have been good, but our level of consistency has not been great. I’m looking for a higher level of play and consistency at that level.”
Winning nine matches in a row has produced its fair share of challenges. Flory said she doesn’t even allow her staff to use the word “streak” during practice in fear of causing distractions.
Sophomore middle blocker Briana Holman said LSU’s success stems from taking things day-by-day, and that looking at the bigger could be disastrous for the Tigers.
“We’ve been focusing on one practice at a time, one game at a time,” Holman said. “When you look too far into the future, you can miss an opportunity in the present. We’ve definitely been working on one team at a time, and whatever happens in the end happens.”
The longer the streak continues, the more of a team effort maintaining it becomes.
Junior outside hitter Emily Ehrle played a role in LSU’s run she hadn’t previously expected to. After sitting out of LSU’s first 10 games of the season, Erhle has contributed as the starting middle blocker — a position at which she doesn’t have much experience — in the Tigers’ last 11 contest.
“It’s really great to get back involved, even though it’s not at my normal outside position,” Ehrle said. “I’m willing to step into any role that the team needs for me to feel for us to be successful this season. I’ve embraced it and I’m doing whatever I can to help the team, so I’m happy that we’re going in a positive direction.”