Before LSU volleyball’s home match against Alabama on Nov. 7, former Athletic Director Skip Bertman gave the Tigers a motivational talk. The team had just lost two straight road matches the weekend before to Kentucky and Tennessee.To show them they needed to keep the past — with the injuries to outside hitters Marina Skender and Lauren DiGirolamo — where it belongs, he gave them a small penny bank toilet.”[Bertman] told us … we can’t dwell in the past,” LSU coach Fran Flory said. “If it’s good, it’s good, but if it’s bad, then you need to flush it and be done. Any time someone makes an error, they are to go over and flush the toilet.”The Tigers didn’t use the toilet very often during Sunday afternoon’s sweep of Ole Miss, as the Tigers had only four hitting errors.The Tigers’ victory clinched the Southeastern Conference Western Division crown for the fourth straight season.”Given the adversity this team has faced and the injuries the team has had with two All-SEC players on the bench, I can’t be any more proud of my team than I am now,” Flory said. “The seniors did an amazing job of being true to the program, their teammates and this staff because when the big goal disappears of being SEC champion, it’s hard to stay focused. I can’t thank them enough for leading the way.”Senior libero Elena Martinez helped pace the Tigers’ defensive effort that held the Rebels (13-15, 9-10) to a .167 hitting percentage with her 22 digs.Offensively, the Tigers hit an outstanding .417 clip, led by senior outside hitter Kyna Washington and junior middle blocker Brittnee Cooper’s 13 kills each.”Every time Cooper gets on the court, she does one or two things better than what she was doing the last time she was on the court,” Flory said. “For a player like that to continue to grow this late in the season is a huge advantage for our team.”The victory was the Tigers’ fifth straight, and it improved LSU’s all-time record against Ole Miss to 45-12. It also kept the Tigers’ postseason hopes alive.The Tigers defeated Arkansas on Friday night, 3-0 (25-13, 25-17, 25-9).  It was the team’s third straight sweep and seventh straight victory against the Razorbacks.
 
 
 
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