LSU’s volleyball team held a private watch party for the NCAA selection show at coach Fran Flory’s house last season, as they were unsure whether they would even make the field of 64.On Sunday afternoon, the Tigers welcomed all media and family into the Lawton Room inside Tiger Stadium to have a viewing party for the announcing of the brackets for the 2009 NCAA Volleyball Tournament.After waiting through one side of the bracket’s announcement and with the anxiety building, the Tigers found out they will host the first two rounds of the tournament for the first time since 1991.What a difference a year makes.”Last year, we were anxious to see if we would even get in, and this year it was a little different feel to see if we are hosting,” Flory said. “We are very thrilled to be able to play in the PMAC one more time, maybe two.”No. 15 seeded LSU (24-6) will face Tulane (18-9) on Friday at 7:30 p.m. If they win, the Tigers will face the winner of Arizona (19-10) versus Texas A&M (18-10).”Being at home is less stressful,” said LSU senior setter Sam Dabbs. “Traveling always puts a lot more on you. So it’s nice to be able to relax and get through this week and focus and play in a facility that we are used to.”The Tigers’ Friday night wasn’t as happy, as the team fell to a steaming hot Rice team which has now won nine straight matches and snapped LSU’s nine-match winning streak in the process.LSU had won 17 of its last 18 matches with 12 of those victories coming as sweeps heading into Friday night’s match. But the Tigers were on the other end of a 3-0 final score, falling to the Owls (23-8) on the road, 3-0 (30-32, 20-25, 20-25).It was the first time since Sept. 20 LSU was swept.”We were on Thanksgiving vacation Friday,” Flory said. “That is a little bit my fault. Our group was not ready for that team.”Rice junior setter Meredith Schamun helped pace the Owls to a .338 team hitting percentage, the highest hitting percentage the Tigers have given up all season. The Tigers hit at a .275 clip. It was the first time this season LSU lost when hitting more than .250 as a team (LSU was previously 18-0 in that statistic).The Tigers’ defense suffered throughout the match, picking up only five blocks.Flory said the team needs to use the loss as a building block heading into the NCAA tournament.”The bottom line is we have to get back into the gym and get better,” Flory said. “This match could be a good thing for us in the long run. You never want to lose but we have to understand that everyone is playing for their lives right now.”____Contact Andy Schwehm at [email protected]