The normal rotation for a Southeastern Conference volleyball schedule is a scheduled match on Friday and another on Sunday.
 
But because Vanderbilt does not field a team, it changes the rotation for the remaining 11 SEC teams, forcing them to play a midweek conference match twice a season.
 
No. 12 LSU (16-1, 7-1) gets its first taste of midweek action tonight when Arkansas (9-10, 3-5) comes into the PMAC.
 
LSU coach Fran Flory said she has her team up to the task.
 
“You have to deal with it almost like it’s back-to-back-to-back matches,” Flory said. “So we took [Monday] off for some recovery time, and since it’s midterms, we needed the day to try to get ahead and get caught up, and hopefully they used that well.”
 
The Tigers will play their third match in six days while balancing the academic challenges of midterm exams.
 
“This is the hardest grind of the season, and unfortunately for us it’s in the most difficult time academically, as well,” Flory said. “Everybody else gets it at different times of the season, and for us it is unfortunate scheduling. But the bottom line is I think this team has learned to be pretty resilient, and I think this team will step up to the challenge.”
 
While the physical toll will be difficult for the Tigers to overcome, senior setter Brittney Johnson is confident in the team’s mindset.
 
“Whenever you believe that you are going to win the game, you just do stuff out of your body that you don’t normally do,” Johnson said. “It’s even different from practice carrying over into the game. I believe in us completely.”
 
But the team is fighting off a stomach virus that has made rounds through a couple of players in the past few days.
 
Flory said the players missed practice Tuesday but will be back and ready to play tonight.
 
The Razorbacks enter the contest on a three-match losing skid, their second streak of three or more consecutive losses this season.
 
At the same time, Arkansas has shown great potential, stringing together a five-match winning streak earlier this season.
 
They are led by sophomore outside hitter Jasmine Norton, who is averaging 3.86 kills per set and has knocked down a total of 297 balls this season.
 
“We’re going to have to control her a little bit,” Flory said. “She’s a phenomenal player — great athlete. And last year she had great matches against us, so we’re going to have to do a much better job defending her to be successful.”
 
 
 
 
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Contact Rob Landry at [email protected]