The LSU volleyball team made sure the Florida Gators didn’t sweep the Tigers in all sports this weekend.The Tigers (13-4, 7-1) defeated the No. 6 Gators (12-3, 6-2) in three straight sets Sunday night in the PMAC, extending LSU’s winning streak to six matches. LSU has only lost one set during the winning streak.Before Sunday’s match, LSU had not defeated the Gators since 1991, a streak that spanned 26 consecutive matches. “This match was a long time coming,” said LSU coach Fran Flory. “We’ve been close, and we’ve never really believed before. This team decided this was going to be their year.”The loss also marked the first time in 12 matches this season the Gators have lost to an unranked opponent.The match, televised by ESPNU, was the first loss for Florida on television this season.Flory had previously never defeated the Gators, and Florida coach Mary Wise had not lost to LSU since 1991 — her first season in Gainesville. “It was great,” Cooper said. “This was my first time beating Florida since I’ve been here, so it was great. To beat them in three [sets], it was amazing.”Senior outside hitter Brittnee Cooper led the way for LSU in the match with 18 kills.”We all did great,” Cooper said. “If it wasn’t for my teammates, [senior libero Lauren] Waclawczyk on digs and [senior outside hitter] Marina [Skender] on digs, and getting to the ball to the setter, I couldn’t do anything with it.”Senior setter Sam Dabbs led the Tigers in assists with 34 while tallying six digs and a kill.”[Sam] Dabbs was real good,” Flory said. “We’ve worked real hard the last two weeks to get her to make great choices and she was outstanding. She was the key to the match tonight.”After winning the first two sets, the Tigers trailed 10-7 early in the third set, but rallied behind their senior leadership to regroup and take the match.”We were trying to win the match with one play instead of understanding there’s 25 points you have to win in a set,” Flory said. “We did a great job of refocusing, and our seniors took control.” LSU took care of business rather easily Friday night, sweeping South Carolina 3-0.The win extended LSU’s winning streak against Southeastern Conference opponents other than Florida and Kentucky to 36 matches.The Tigers took the first two sets, winning them, 25-12 and 25-16, respectively.But the Gamecocks made the third set a little more interesting.With LSU leading, 24-19, South Carolina rallied to win four consecutive points to bring the match to 24-23. But Skender knocked down her match-high 12th kill of the match to secure an LSU victory on the next point.”We had one of our best matches of the season up until the last couple of points,” Flory said. “We were very fortunate to get out in three sets.”Skender also recorded 12 digs, marking her fifth double-double of the season. Sophomore libero Lauren Waclawczyk led the Tigers with 13 digs and also recorded a career-high five assists. But the performance of the match came from Dabbs.Dabbs recorded nine kills, 34 assists and 12 digs.”Our focus has always been first contact,” Waclawczyk said. “We did a really good job tonight and gave Sam [Dabbs] so many options. She took advantage of it to the fullest. She did her dump thing — she set the outside and got the ball everywhere. It was a great night for us.”The Tigers will try to carry the momentum from this into next weekend when they take on Arkansas and Ole Miss.”We can’t let up,” Dabbs said. “Everyone is coming out to play us this year.”
—-Contact Rob Landry at [email protected]
Volleyball: Tigers beat No. 6 Florida, 3-0, for first time since 1991
October 10, 2009