While the LSU volleyball team’s season is wrapping up, the toughest Southeastern Conference matchup is yet to come.
LSU (9-16, 5-9 SEC) will square off against the University of Florida today at 5 p.m. in the PMAC. The Tigers not only have a chance to even out their 4-5 home record but can also make a disappointing season memorable during Senior Night with an upset of the Gators (20-5, 12-4 SEC).
For LSU coach Fran Flory, the matchup is like any other game. She said the team plans to rely on its defense but hopes the quicker and more creative offense the team developed over the course of the season will see success as well.
“Playing a team that’s playing this well late is always a challenge,” Flory said. “Their system is one that’s not super hard to defend. I think we’ll play some good defense against them, but the defining factor has been, and will continue to be, if we can kill balls.”
With sophomore outside hitter Gina Tillis finally 100 percent healthy after tweaking an ankle earlier this month, the Tigers’ offense is still under construction, having lost four straight games after senior outside hitter Cati Leak’s season ending injury in Kentucky on Nov. 1.
The Gators’ 7-4 record on the road shows they are not infallible. Florida lost in five sets against Auburn University Nov. 8, a team the Tigers defeated in the PMAC on Oct. 25, sparking optimism in Flory and her team.
Florida’s effective blocking is part of the reason they are currently ranked 14th in the nation. But it’s the Gators’ defense the Tigers look to use for their offense.
“The standard in the gym this week has been to cover a lot of balls,” said senior defensive specialist Haley Smith. “We know they are a good blocking team, so we want to take advantage of that by immediately going back and attacking them when they do block the ball.”
The Tigers’ injury-dominated second half of their season resulted in frequent losing streaks and new game plans, but the mindset hasn’t changed in the final stretch.
Smith said even the young players on the team don’t lack motivation, and the leaders make sure it will stay that way the rest of the season.
“We’re really playing for more than these 18 people on the roster,” said junior middle blocker Tiara Gibson. “We’re playing for everybody that’s been through the program, everybody that had their hand in the program, the coaching staff, the extended staff, etc. We don’t get to give up. We have to get going.”