Although the No. 14 Florida (21-4, 13-4 Southeastern Conference) extended the LSU volleyball team’s losing streak to six, the 3-0 defeat showed there is much to look forward to in the upcoming years for the Tigers.
The two teams showed many similarities. But with solid blocking, powerful hits and good passing on both sides, it became clear the biggest difference was age and experience.
LSU’s errors shaped the start of the first set, but the Tigers (9-17, 5-10 SEC) tied the game at five and continued to trade kills as soon as sophomore outside hitter Gina Tillis and freshman middle blocker Brittany Welsh seized opportunities.
Both finished the game with nine kills, while Tillis also added five digs, two blocks and an assist.
“I’m excited that Brittany [Welsh] had such a great match against some pretty special players on the other side of the net and I thought [freshman middle blocker] Olivia [Beyer] held her own, too,” said LSU coach Fran Flory. “So two freshmen matching up against that lineup is a little glimpse of the future perhaps.”
The Tigers hustled after every ball, but powerful hitting let the Gators break away and finally win the first set, 25-22.
While the second set was much of the same, blocking became stronger on both sides. The difference maker and reason for the Gators’ 25-20 win was 6-foot-4 sophomore middle blocker Rhamat Alhassan.
The former SEC and American Volleyball Coaches Association Southeast Region Freshman of the Year finished the game with seven kills and led the team with seven blocks along with senior middle blocker Simone Antwi, but the size and intensity she brought to the court cannot be shown on the stat sheet.
“Our shot selection was really poor,” Flory said. “We hit every ball into the middle of the court and attacked the middle of their block. That was not the game plan, certainly not for the outsides. We kept talking about turning the ball and getting to the sidelines and cross-court and high corners and really didn’t do a good job at that.”
Flory said the offensive struggles leading to Florida’s runs to seal the set was a combination of tempo, setting and individual shot selection.
With the start of the deciding third set, LSU’s errors returned, allowing the Gators to go on a 6-0 run.
“Well they changed a few things and our serving didn’t get them out of system as well,” Flory said. “When they are in system… They have already proven that they can beat everybody in the country and that they have a shot at making a nice run at the championship. We had to serve better and did not do a great job at that in the third set.”
The Gators finished the set with six more kills, nine more blocks and two more digs than the Tigers and won the set 25-13, sweeping LSU, 3-0.