LSU volleyball’s success this year has been, if nothing else, inconsistent. A well-known fact about this team is that it’s super young, both mentally and in terms of on-the-court experience.
The thing that has grounded this team in times of peril? Dividing each match into “mini games.”
The team has embraced the concept all year, with outside hitter Jurnee Robinson first mentioning it after a September loss to San Diego.
“We just didn’t win enough of the mini games tonight,” Robinson said.
The mini games are a way for the players to ensure their attention is focused on what they can do to “be the first to five, who can be the first to ten [points],” which ensures that everyone on the floor is playing “the game within the game,” as head coach Tonya Johnson described it.
Playing the mini games ensures that the Tigers aren’t lingering on mistakes, and instead flushing them and keeping focused on the next touch.
Over the first 10 weeks of the season, the big three things Johnson has gotten this team to focus on is starting fast, playing high-level volleyball for longer periods of time and not letting mistakes dictate the game.
The mini games play a role in meeting all three of those requests by Johnson, and the only thing getting in LSU’s way is LSU’s mental mistakes.
Despite that, these players have been characterized by fans, parents, friends and their head coach as gritty and ready to work.
This time last year, Johnson’s Tigers were 10-12 overall, and 5-7 in conference play. This year, the Tigers are 13-8 and 5-5 in conference play.
This upward trend can certainly be attributed to consistently dominant performances by players like Jurnee Robinson and Jade Demps, who have tallied a combined 485 kills between them.
Not only that, but the mental maturity that has been called into question is something that the Tigers are improving every week.
“This group has allowed us to coach them, day in and day out, and I think you can just see the improvement in them and their play and their confidence,” Johnson said.
“I think players individually, stepping up their game in terms of doing their part and taking care of their responsibilities in order to help us win,” Johnson said of the changes she’s noticed since LSU’s first game.
In addition to getting better and becoming a more cohesive unit, over the last two weeks in particular several players like freshman middle blocker Jessica Jones, and sophomore middle blocker Angie Lee have stepped up.
While LSU has been winning, much of the attention and pressure was on Jade Demps, Jurnee Robinson and Bailey Ortega. With Lee and Jones finding their stride, it has allowed Robinson “the opportunity to go up against more one-on-one situations, instead of hitting into double blocks,” according to Johnson.
As LSU travels to face a Tennessee team that is deadly at home, boasting a 6-2 record there, the Tigers’ destiny is fully in their hands with the NCAA Tournament is quickly approaching.
The Tigers, who have made great strides, need to finish this final six game stretch strong, and they’re looking forward to the challenge. As the pressure builds, Johnson has reminded the team that “pressure is a privilege.”
