LSU’s 2008 volleyball season was defined more by the losses off the court than the losses on it.The Tigers saw arguably their best player in senior outside hitter Marina Skender go down with an ACL tear in spring practice in 2008.LSU then had to play its first nine matches on the road following Hurricane Gustav’s destruction to Baton Rouge and the surrounding areas. The Tigers compiled a 5-4 record during the month-long road trip that had the team on the road at one point for 10-straight days.After finally getting to play a few home matches, the Tigers encountered another disaster when they lost preseason All-Southeastern Conference Team member junior middle blocker Lauren DiGirolamo in a home match against Ole Miss.”Lauren is a huge loss,” said LSU coach Fran Flory after the match. “She’s been our stabilizing force in the middle for the last three years.”The Tigers had trouble finding their rhythm after DiGirolamo’s injury, going only 5-4 in their next nine matches without the junior.”It started off good, but then it kind of got cloudy for me for a second because everyone was getting hurt,” said LSU senior outside hitter Kyna Washington. “I was like, ‘No!’ But, you know, you have to pick it up and let it go.”LSU made the best of the situation, going on a six-match winning streak to finish out the regular season at 18-9, 13-7 in the SEC, and wrap up a spot in the NCAA tournament.”Fran has always been someone that has prepared us to be adaptable,” said senior libero Elena Martinez. “She has been a coach that has prepared us to face adversity along the way, and we faced our fair share of it this year, but we have worked really hard to not allow it to faze us.”The LSU volleyball team’s season ended Dec. 10 with an NCAA tournament loss to No. 14 UCLA.The first-round exit was just the last stop in a topsy-turvy, roller-coaster season.The spring season saw injuries to three more Tigers. Senior setter Samantha Dabbs, junior outside hitter Angela Bensend and junior middle blocker Tania Schatow all sat out for an extended period.But the Tigers took 19 of the 25 sets they played in spring tournaments, and all three teams the Tigers entered into the SEC Beach Championships in Siesta Key, Fla., made it to the playoffs, compiling a 15-9 set record.Three Tigers were also awarded SEC honors at the end of the regular season.Senior libero Elena Martinez was named Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the Year and second team All-SEC.Junior middle blocker Brittnee Cooper, who in the spring made the USA National A2 Team, was named first team All-SEC.Freshman middle blocker Michele Williams was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team. She was one of two unanimous selections to the team.——Contact Andy Schwehm at [email protected]