LSU’s beach volleyball team just finished their regular season with a smashing 4-0 competition in the Battle on the Bayou, so what’s next for the Tigers?
The CCSA – or Coastal Collegiate Sports Association – conference championships are around the corner and No. 12 LSU is set to host the event at home in Baton Rouge. The Tigers will compete against No. 7 Florida State, No. 8 Texas and South Carolina on April 25 and 26.
As the Tigers continue to train for what they’ve been working toward all year – here are two main takeaways from the team’s regular season.
Family fuels this team
Having your family’s support behind your pursuits is a dream come true, and while many LSU beach volleyball players have their family from home behind them, they also have another family in front of them – their team.
Since beach volleyball teams compete in pairs across several courts, each player must rely on its other half to pave the way in a match. Losses, victories and streaks are all claimed in pairs when it comes to the sand, and LSU claims it all with open arms in this family-like environment.
If the girls aren’t competing on a court, they’re cheering their teammates on through whatever highs and lows they face, which was seen in LSU’s Battle on the Bayou this past weekend.
As freshmen Camryn Chatellier and Elle Evers fought to bring home Court 2 against Tulane on day two of the competition, the pair ultimately fell short (13-21 and 13-21) but were still met with support from their teammates which helped them gain their momentum back in taking on the University of New Orleans later that night.
While the two were not paired together, they still swept their respective courts clean. Chatellier and senior Aubrey O’Gorman outsmarted New Orleans on Court 2, 21-16 and 21-13 while Evers and freshman Julia Sprecher took care of things on Court 3, 21-9 and 21-8.
Mistakes matter in more ways than one
With a dominant season record of 23-10, LSU has remained fairly consistent in its victories, but like any team, has made its fair share of mistakes.
However, that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
Yes, mistakes matter, they can lead to losses and damage the team’s record, but that’s not all of what’s important when it comes to errors. What matters is how a team makes the most out of its mistakes, and this team in particular has mastered how to turn mistakes into momentum.
After its first win against Florida Gulf Coast, followed by a loss to FSU, LSU went undefeated for twelve straight matches.
The odds were in its favor until the East meets West Invitational – where it lost 3-1. From there, it took its errors and went 2-2 in its following competitions, facing only two more losses in the FSU Unconquered Invitational.
As it competed against FSU for the final time and Texas for the first time, it fell 3-2 both matches. However, it’s as though the team put their foot down as they fought in their final match of the invitational, sweeping South Carolina, 5-0.
Following that victory, LSU failed to fall again as it went 4-0 in its next competition, proving that their mistakes only make them stronger as a team.
With its well-enforced bond as a team and the ability to grow from errors, LSU is set to compete in the conference championships next weekend.
“I’m excited for the opportunities that lie ahead as we gear up for the conference championship in the national championship event in Gulf Shores,” LSU head coach Russell Brock said. “I expect they will make great strides in the next two weeks as we train for the most important events of our season.”
