If you’ve been keeping up with LSU volleyball, you’d know that the team had a hot start to this year. But the flame it sparked is slowly dying as it gets further into the season, and it now finds itself on a three-game losing streak.
The start of its streak began as it fell to San Diego on Sept. 20 by a score of 0-3.
This particular score seems to have stuck with the Bayou Bengals, as they lost to both the Missouri Tigers and Texas Longhorns in the first weekend of SEC play, both also in sweeps.
So where does this place LSU volleyball in SEC rankings? More importantly, how does it compare to other SEC teams that it will be facing later this year?
When looking at the team’s overall performance, LSU stands at No. 15 out of all participating SEC schools, which is the lowest possible standing within SEC volleyball.
However, their performance doesn’t diminish the star quality of some of the team’s players.
Sophomore outside hitter Jurnee Robinson ranks No. 1 in the conference in kills across all games.
She is also ranked No. 11 in the NCAA in attacks per set and No. 2 in kills per set. Robinson scores 5.2 kills per set and therefore serves as a valuable asset to the team.
LSU also has graduate setter Bailey Ortega playing for them, who ranks No. 6 in the SEC in assists. As far as NCAA rankings go, she places No. 25 in assists per set.
Despite their skill, these players haven’t been able to help their team win a match in the past two weeks, so what does the competition look like for their upcoming matches?
LSU is set to play against the Mississippi State Bulldogs, who currently stand within the top five of SEC volleyball teams at No. 4, on Friday.
Mississippi State is entering this match with a six-game winning streak, most recently defeating the South Carolina Gamecocks 3-1 in their SEC debut last Friday.
Sophomore middle blocker Arissa Smith ranks No. 1 in the SEC in hitting percentage as well No. 6 in blocks, with six total block assists in SEC play so far.
In fact, Mississippi State also has two other players who are highly ranked in blocks, which sets their team up with a strong defensive anchor.
Graduate middle blocker Rebecca Walk ranks No. 1, and redshirt senior right side hitter Amina Shackelford ranks No. 9 in the SEC.
LSU’s players, on the other hand, fail to place in SEC blocks.
Mississippi State also has players who rank in the SEC’s top 10 in service aces, points and kills.
The Tigers beat the Bulldogs in two of those categories with Robinson, who tops all of Mississippi State’s players in points and kills. Mississippi State’s graduate outside hitters Karli Schimdt and Kailin Newsome rank at No. 9 and No. 10 in points, where Robinson ranks No. 8.
As far as kills go, Robinson has the upper hand as Schimdt ranks No. 8 in the SEC to Robinson’s No. 1.
While these are impressive numbers for LSU, having only one player carry the weight of the team’s offense in the SEC sets the Tigers at a severe disadvantage.
Unless they learn to better coordinate as a team, the Tigers will stay behind the Bulldogs in the SEC standings and could continue their losing streak on Friday.
After playing against State, the Tigers will play Mississippi again.
Well, the other Mississippi: Ole Miss.
Ole Miss volleyball currently sits on the lower end of the scale in SEC standings – but still above LSU – at No. 11 after losing their debut conference match to Texas A&M.
On some levels, like in digs, the Rebels soar above the Tigers, where Ole Miss ranks No. 1 and LSU ranks No. 13 in the SEC. But on others, they fly close together, like in service aces, where Ole Miss ranks No. 9 and LSU ranks No. 13.
LSU as a team fails to top Ole Miss in most statistical categories. However, that isn’t the case individually thanks to Robinson and her record of kills.
Ole Miss’ junior outside hitter Nia Washington is carrying 131 kills on her back, whereas Robinson is carrying 224.
Ole Miss’ setter Mokihana Tufono ranks No. 1 in the SEC when it comes to assists, having 425 under her belt, with her personal best being 50 in a 3-2 win against Florida Gulf Coast University.
Meanwhile, Ortega has 518 assists this season and her personal best is 58 assists in a 2-3 loss against Troy, but Tufono averages 13.6 per set, where Ortega averages 8.3 per set.
How LSU can be expected to perform against Ole Miss really can’t be said until it plays Mississippi State. However, the Tigers’ current standing in the SEC might be enough to affect their confidence, and in turn, their plays.
If that is the case and LSU continues its losing streak, then it’ll have a hard time recovering as it takes on Oklahoma and A&M, some of the higher standing volleyball teams within the SEC, in two weeks.
