LSU finally showed the ecstatic PMAC crowd that their talent can show up in Southeastern Conference play as they prevailed in a high contested SEC showdown.
LSU (6-11, 1-5 SEC) channeled their emotion and defeated Georgia (12-6, 3-4 SEC). They found a way to get the win by minimizing errors and neutralizing Georgia’s outside hitters throughout the match.
The first set offered fans a superior contest as each team went back and forth. The game was tied at 9 before LSU made their strike and closed the match easily 25-22.
The second set showed the tenacity that all the coaches have been talking about as the Tigers jumped out to an early lead and kept it throughout the later part of the match as the Tigers landed another easy set 25-20.
The Tigers were looking for a sweep going into the third set, which was led by the assist specialist Anna Zwiebel and kill expert Taylor Bannister. But the aspirations of the Tigers could not close the match there, as they dropped a contested third set 25-22.
The Tigers did not want to let this golden opportunity of getting their first SEC win of the year slip by, so they settled in and dominated the fourth set.
“This is it,” said LSU coach Fran Flory. “A win is a win. To get the monkey off our back is a relief.”
Flory has been stressing the need for confidence, and the Tigers looked like they had it throughout the match, which allowed them to close it down.
In addition to confidence, Flory attributed LSU’s win to a clean match on its side of the net.
“We forced Georgia into errors,” coach Flory said. “That is what this game is about. We took control in that fourth set, and we did not look back.”
The domination in the fourth set mostly came from the same seven players, which has been a question mark for most of the season.
“For now we have it [starting lineup],” Flory. “Will it be the same next time? I have no idea, but tonight that was it.
As the season continues to move along, Flory, as she has been all season, looks up and ahead instead of back.
“We just kept coming so close and we finally got this one,” Flory said. “I am very proud of this team and what comes next.”
