After approximately 4,500 miles traveled and eight straight games away from the PMAC, it is finally time for the No. 24 LSU volleyball team to head home.
The Tigers (10-1, 2-0) have not played a home match since their five-game victory Aug. 25 against St. Louis. Their extended road trip carried into the beginning of Southeastern Conference play, but LSU showed no signs of jet lag Sunday in a four-game win against Arkansas (6-6, 0-2).
LSU dropped the first game of the match, 30-24, but rallied to take the next three games, 31-29, 35-33 and 30-24.
“We did not play very well, but we found a way to win and I’m really proud of them for that,” LSU coach Fran Flory said. “We were certainly not at our best … I was really proud of how they responded after a very lackluster game-one performance.”
The Tigers committed five service errors in the first game of the match.
LSU fell behind 13-18 in game two before a 14-2 run propelled them to a 27-20 lead.
Flory said the Tigers’ game-two comeback was the turning point in the match.
“We had a rally where we made a couple of great plays and came up with a big kill at the end,” she said. “When you got your backs up against the wall, you need someone to make a special play. When you have more than one person, that can really become a momentum builder.”
Junior outside hitter Kyna Washington led LSU with 20 kills. Sophomore middle blockers Lauren DeGirolamo and Brittnee Cooper combined for 33 kills and 11 blocks.
Outside hitter Jessica Dorrell led the Lady Razorbacks with 16 kills and five blocks.
Washington said the Tigers’ sloppy start was an internal problem and had nothing to do with Arkansas.
“It took us a while to get into [a rhythm],” Washington said. “We just weren’t communicating.”
Although Flory said her team could have played better overall, there were some bright spots offensively for the Tigers.
Sunday’s match was Washington’s third straight 20-kill match, and sophomore setter Maggie Lonergan recorded 67 assists in the contest, reaching the 60-assist mark for the second time this season.
Lonergan’s assist total tied for the 10th most assists in a four-game match in school history.
For the first time in three weeks, the Tigers can now begin preparations for upcoming home games. LSU faces South Carolina on Friday and takes on its biggest challenge of the season Sunday to host No. 6 Florida.
“We can’t wait [to play at home],” Washington said. “We’re excited to be in class from Monday through Friday. [We] play Friday, [there’s a] football game Saturday then we play again Sunday. If we win and the football team wins, it’ll be exciting.”
—-Contact Tyler Batiste at [email protected]
Tigers defeat Lady Razorbacks 3-1 on Sunday
September 15, 2007