LSU’s volleyball program has come a long way in the four years since its two current seniors first stepped foot on campus.The Tigers have won three straight Southeastern Conference Western Division titles and have made three straight NCAA tournament appearances, their first postseason births since 1992.LSU will honor libero Elena Martinez and outside hitter Kyna Washington for four years of dedication during Senior Night tonight after the 7 p.m. match against Auburn.”I said when that senior class with Kyna and Elena came in that they were the most heralded class that I had ever recruited in my tenure here at LSU,” said LSU coach Fran Flory. “They have proven that to be true.”LSU assistant coach Steve Loeswick said the seniors are two of the best in the league.”They really have laid the groundwork to make sure that this program is on a great footing and is going to continue to be one of the best programs in the country,” Loeswick said.LSU freshman libero Lauren Waclawczyk said it will be sad to see the seniors leave.”I know that Elena for me, especially since we both play back row, makes me go faster, and she makes me play better,” she said. “Kyna is our go-to hitter. She puts the ball away when we need it.”The two seniors will be trying to push the team into the postseason with only four games left in the season.The Tigers play tonight’s home match and then travel for two road matches next weekend before a final home match against Georgia.Waclawczyk said the team knows it will have to win out to get a tournament bid.”Right now we feel real good,” she said. “We know what we have to get done, and it makes us work harder, it makes is go faster and it makes us do a better job of taking care of our side. We’re ready to get four more wins to make sure we get that NCAA bid.”The first team that stands in the way of that bid is Auburn, who LSU swept in the teams’ first meeting.But Loeswick said this Auburn team, which took a few sets from two of the top teams in the conference — South Carolina and Florida — last weekend, is not the same one the Tigers saw the first time around.”Auburn is young and athletic,” Loeswick said. “The more these young, talented players get to play against these high level teams that they have played in the last four or five weeks since we saw them, the more time they have to find a way of how they can be successful.”The Tigers will get Sunday off in a rare one match weekend because Auburn does not have a travel partner due to the odd number of teams in the league.Waclawczyk is “really looking forward” to the day off.”It’s always good to play two matches, but you always need that rest, especially at this point in the season when you have all those little aches and pains,” Waclawczyk said. “Sunday is going to be a big rest day for us.”
Volleyball: Senior to be honored at tonight’s match
November 13, 2008