The No. 17 LSU volleyball team (11-0, 2-0) is just one win away from matching the 12-0 start of the 1991 squad — the last LSU team to reach the Final Four.
This current group of Tigers has won with a different style than the ’91 squad. The 2010 version plays with a stout defense and a solid cohesiveness.
“The team in ’91 was a very offensive team that was very athletic with a lot of great individual players,” said LSU assistant coach Steve Loeswick. “This year’s team has won a bunch of matches because we play well as a team, and we play real strong defense and have been attacking at a pretty high percentage.”
Despite the fast start and impressive stats, the Tigers will face stiff competition this weekend facing Alabama and Mississippi on the road.
A surprise star for the Tigers has been the emergence of freshman middle blocker Desiree Elliott. She racked up 16 kills and logged eight blocks last weekend en route to being named Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week.
“It’s a really big honor, but I know I couldn’t have done it without my teammates backing me up,” Elliott said. “I just want to work hard for them, and whatever I get is because of my teammates and my coaches.”
Elliott’s competitive attitude has caught the eye of at least one of the Tigers’ team captains — junior libero Lauren Waclawczyk.
“She came in from preseason knowing she wanted to make a difference, and now she’s making a difference,” Waclawczyk said. “She wasn’t OK with not playing. She wanted playing time. She worked hard to get it, and now she’s getting it and making a difference.”
The Tigers are topping the charts in nearly every conference statistical category, ranking in the top two in everything except aces and blocking percentage.
The Crimson Tide (8-3, 0-1) has won seven of its last eight matches, including four in a row to start the season at home.
Mississippi State (8-4, 0-1) is also undefeated at home on the year but has struggled as of late, losing four of its last five.
“Both teams are much improved from last year, and going on the road is always tough in the SEC,” Loeswick said. “Both teams have a couple of younger players that are putting up some pretty good numbers. But we’re going to keep the focus on us and making sure we take care of things on our side of the court and also preparing for some of the things they’re going to do.”
Waclawczyk said she is excited for taking the first conference road trip of the season because the Tigers know they’re going to be challenged every night.
“We have a target on our back,” Waclawczyk said. “Everyone wants to try to take our undefeated season away, and everyone is just looking to beat us. It has always been like that. Everyone plays their best game against us.”
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Contact Rob Landry at [email protected].