For the first time in several seasons, LSU volleyball coach Fran Flory is feeling good about her team’s serving.
Flory repeatedly criticized her team’s serving performance during the last few seasons, but after making it a priority in the offseason, she’s beginning to see improvement.
“The biggest difference from last year was last year, when we asked them to respond in a match, they couldn’t do it,” Flory said. “This year, we asked them to respond and they made the changes. That’s an experience and maturity in the game that’s really good.”
Before her team left for the summer, Flory told them if there’s only one thing they work on during the break, make it serving.
LSU recorded only 113 service aces last season for .84 aces per set, putting it 315th in the country. This season, the Tigers already have 16 service aces through three matches for 1.45 aces per set, placing them third in the Southeastern Conference.
Junior outside hitter Katie Lindelow, who led the team in service aces last season with 31, said the biggest change since she first got to campus has been the added diversity in the types of serves LSU features.
“Really giving the other team something different every time helps,” Lindelow said. “The fact that we do all have pretty different serves kind of keeps them on their toes, and they don’t know what to expect when the ball’s coming at them.”
Lindelow said she’s adjusted her serve by stepping back from the line to give the ball more time to move, making it harder for opponents to return the serve.
Freshman setter and defensive specialist Cheyenne Wood possibly has one of the most interesting serves on the team, according to Flory, who has been praising Wood’s serves since before the season.
Wood said her serves could be different because she’s left-handed, giving the ball a different flight path — similar to how a left-handed pitcher gives a different look to hitters in baseball.
Wood got a chance to show off her skills during LSU’s opening weekend in the Mortar Board Premier at Purdue two weeks ago, but she only registered one ace in 23 attempts.
Flory said Wood still has a long way to go before she’s ready for a more high-profile role.
“She’s not quite ready yet to serve on everybody,” Flory said. “She’s playing a little safe, and we need to get her to be a little more risky, but every freshman is going to be a little nervous.”
Sophomore middle blocker Briana Holman is also getting a shot at serving after not attempting one serve last season. Holman led the Tigers at the Mortar Board Premier with six service aces but also led them with eight service errors.
Holman said serving in sand volleyball helped her make the most improvement during the offseason.
“You have to go against the wind and it made it a lot more difficult,” Holman said. “Once I got back indoors, it’s just a lot easier now and we worked on it all spring as a team.”