LSU volleyball wants a turkey this Thanksgiving season.
However, the Tigers (9-16, 4-10 Southeastern Conference) aren’t looking for a traditional turkey filled with stuffing and smothered in gravy. Instead, the team wants a sports turkey — a term used for accomplishments that come in threes — and they will have a chance to earn one if they sweep their next home stretch.
LSU will play at No. 23 Kentucky on Nov. 18, at Tennessee on Nov. 20 and at Texas A&M on Nov. 23.
Of those three teams, LSU has only played Texas A&M this season, but the Tigers insist they will prepare for all three opponents the same way.
“Over analyzing our opponents has been a problem for us all season,” junior defensive specialist Kelly Quinn said. “The focus has to be on our game rather than the teams we are playing.”
The Tigers are riding a two-game win streak after defeating Georgia on Nov. 11 and Mississippi State on Nov. 13, and the team is optimistic about its ability to finish the season on a high note.
“We’re finally executing the plays that we run at practice,” Quinn said. “I think that’s a result of this team maturing, and hopefully we’ll continue to see growth as we finish out the season.”
“The team has been playing well, and I think we’re all really fired up right now,” junior defensive setter Cheyenne Wood said. “Hopefully we’ll be able to carry this momentum into our upcoming road trip.”
From a statistical standpoint, LSU played some of its best volleyball of the season last week, outplaying Georgia and Mississippi State with good blocking and a quick offensive tempo.
According to LSU coach Fran Flory, the Tigers will have to be even better against their next three opponents.
“The teams remaining on our schedule are the most physical squads we’ll see this season,” Flory said. “We have to be fast defensively and maintain a good offensive pace in order to be successful this week.
“The opportunity to make a nice run and play our best volleyball of the season is in front of us,” Flory added. “Our goal is to leave it all out on the court because we have nothing to lose.”