The LSU volleyball team split its first home series of the season this weekend, failing in its Sunday matchup with Missouri after winning against Kentucky in five sets on Friday.
LSU (5-8, 1-3 Southeastern Conference) was sloppy on Sunday, tallying nine more errors than Mizzou over four sets.
“Volleyball’s a game of errors,” said LSU coach Fran Flory. “… At the end of the match, where you battle somebody this close, the team that makes the fewest is the team that’s going to win.”
Already down one set, LSU lost a tight second frame against Missouri, 25-23. They rallied to take the third, 25-21, but they couldn’t hold on in the fourth, losing it, 25-22.
“We came out; we were dead on the court,” said junior middle blocker Desiree Elliott. “We didn’t have any leadership really, and that’s what made that game so hard. No one really stepped up, and we didn’t have any fire, really, any fight.”
Though she lauded the defensive presence of senior Sam Delahoussaye and freshman Haley Smith, who combined for 83 digs on the weekend, Flory said the Tigers are feeling the loss of senior libero Meghan Mannari. Flory said she thinks her team would be 4-0 in conference play had Mannari been available for the past two weekends.
“The composure, the poise and the level of maturity Meghan brings to the court, and the confidence our team plays with when she’s on the court, it’s completely different,” Flory said.
Flory said she’s unsure when Mannari will be able to play.
Elliott paced the Tigers on offense, posting 37 kills over the weekend. She credited her teammates, especially sophomore setter Malorie Pardo, for her strong performance. Outside hitters Helen Boyle, sophomore, and Madie Jones, senior, also put in strong performances, registering 33 and 29 kills, respectively.
The noise in the PMAC gave the Tigers a jolt Friday, when 1,471 fans cheered on LSU to rally back against Kentucky to win its first five-set match of the season. The Tigers played in front of a home crowd for the first time in their 2012 campaign after Hurricane Isaac forced the Tiger Classic to be played in Houston.
“It felt so good to finally be at home in front of people we know and an atmosphere that was welcoming towards us, so that was great,” Elliott said.
LSU will go on the road yet again next weekend, traveling to Mississippi State on Friday and Arkansas on Sunday.
