At the LSU beach volleyball team’s 2016 season debut Friday at the FIU Beach Invitational in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the Tigers defeated Jacksonville University, 4-1, and Florida International, 3-2.
In the first game against Jacksonville, LSU had a hard time winning straight sets as junior Katie Lindelow and Ashley Allmer won the first, 21-15, but lost the second. The duo won the third set, 15-9.
The pair of sophomore Riley Young and freshman Jeni Clark suffered the same fate – winning the first set, losing the second, and gaining a win in the third.
“I think we played tentatively (in the first match),” said LSU coach Russell Brock. “We were trying not to make mistakes…A little bit of that edge and attitude and confidence was missing, and it didn’t allow us to reach our potential. Jacksonville played well and we could have let some of those matches slip away, but we played hard and won some critical points.”
The Tigers went into the second round leading Jackson, 2-1.
Game two against Jacksonville featured a dominant performance by the Tigers as senior duos Helen Boyle/Lilly Kessler and Victoria Boraski/Megan Davenport won in straight sets. Cheyenne Wood/Mandi Orellana didn’t win their first set but were able to win both sets after.
The Tigers started off the season with a 1-0 win after playing Jacksonville and prepared for the first game against Florida International to begin.
“I think from the beginning we’ve had high expectations,” Brock said. “We talk about getting better every practice and not leaving any opportunities by the wayside. If you play hard, you’re going to give yourself opportunities to win. We’ve gotten a little bit farther along as a team on what it means to fight together and play for LSU.”
Leak/Molle won in straight sets against Florida International with a score of 21-15 for both sets. However, pairs Lindelow/Allmer and Boraski/Davenport lost their sets, and Florida International lead LSU 2-1 going into the second round.
Tiger pairs Wood/Orellana and Young/ Clark won in straight sets for the second round against Florida International but Leak/Molle went into a tie-breaking third set with both teams at 2-2.
Leak/Molle won the set, 15-13, to make LSU’s first win in program history against Florida International.
The Tigers will continue the tournament when they play the University of New Orleans on Saturday in Fort Lauderdale, Florida at 10 a.m.
“I was impressed with our commitment to the game plan and to each other,” Brock said. “We talk a lot and train a lot. Unless it’s backed up in the game, it doesn’t carry much weight. When we ask them to fight for every point and when we see it in action, it’s very exciting.”
You can reach Jourdan Riley on Twitter @jourdanr_TDR
Tigers start 2016 season with 2-0 record
By Jourdan Riley
March 5, 2016
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