The idea of having a home advantage is nothing new to LSU. The Tigers just seem to play better in every sport when they have thousands of screaming fans doused in purple and gold dissatisfied with anything but a victory.
The LSU volleyball team will test this theory of home court advantage as the Tigers are playing eight straight away matches before getting to play in the PMAC on September 20.
In the 2017-18 season, the Tigers did not get to play in front of their home crowd for 10 straight matches. Surprisingly enough, the Tigers had their best season in the last 3 years going 20-10, 11-7 in the SEC and 8-6 in away matches.
This season will be a little different as the Tigers are a very young team with six true freshman and one redshirt freshman. With freshman comes inexperience and a bit of a mystery as this is their first time performing at the collegiate level leaving it to the upperclassman to make sure the young girls are prepared for what is to come.
In Houston this past weekend during the Tigers first three matches of the season, they won two out of the three. The Tigers got the victory over UT Arlington and Houston and dropped one match against Arizona State.
Missouri City, Texas native and junior right side Taylor Bannister says that getting those victories really boosted the confidence of the team and has kept the moral up, but warns the team that it is still the beginning and there is a lot of work to be done.
Bannister states that there is a time to celebrate victories but that “we shouldn’t congratulate a fish on being able to swim, that is a given.” She claims that they need to focus on getting better in practice and continuing to grow as a team.
“Having so many away matches at such an early time in the season will help mature and teach the young team members a lot about their volleyball and themselves,” Bannister said. “It will also make being back in the PMAC so much more exciting and sweet after being gone for so long.”
This weekend, the Tigers are headed to Ames, Iowa to face two familiar foes, No. 6 Penn State and Iowa State in Hilton Coliseum. The Tigers have not seen the Iowa State Cardinals since 2007. The Tigers dropped the match to the cardinals 1-3. It has been 13 years since LSU has faced the Nittany Lions and it did not go as desired as the Tigers also dropped that match in a heartbreaker.