BATON ROUGE — The LSU volleyball team will begin the 2001 season on Friday at 7 p.m. when it takes on Tulane in New Orleans in the Sugar Bowl Classic.
The Tigers are coming off a 15-17 season that saw them finish third in the Southeastern Conference Western Division. However, LSU returns five starters and nearly 90 percent of its offense.
?We have a lot of experience all over the court for the first time since I have been here,? said LSU coach Fran Flory. ?I expect big things from this team and they expect big things from themselves. But we have to take each match one at a time, beginning against Tulane.?
Last season, the Green Wave knocked off the Tigers in three games in the Sugar Bowl before LSU exacted revenge in Baton Rouge later in the year.
?Tulane is a solid team all over the floor. We didn?t come out ready to play last season and they made us pay,? said Flory.
Leading the returnees is senior Meagan Davis, a two-time all-SEC selection. Davis led LSU in kills (3.12/game) and attack percentage (.348) while ranking second in blocks (1.04/game). Her .320 career attack percentage is currently second in school annals while she is among the top 10 in block assists and block solos.
Juniors Lauren Cuyler and Jennifer Hampton return as the conference leaders in blocks and digs, respectively. Cuyler?s averaged 1.55 blocks/game in SEC action a year ago while Hampton registered 3.83 digs/game. Hampton?s 425 digs on the year are the second most in school history.
Junior setter Katie Kubena and senior right side Meghan Bedford, who was named SEC Player of the Week last season for the week of Oct. 16, round out the returning starters.
Looking to make an immediate impact will be Kyra Lancon, who redshirted last season. She is expected to start right away at outside hitter.
?Through the middle part of last season, Kyra was our most outstanding player in practice,? said Flory. ?We can?t wait to get on the floor and turn her loose.?
The 2001 season will feature a radical change to collegiate volleyball as a new rally-scoring format will be used.
Games will be played to 30 points with a point scored on each play. Previously, games were to 15 with points scored only on your own serve. The fifth game of the best-of-five format will still be played to 15 points using rally scoring.
?The change to rally scoring is going to make volleyball a much more fast-paced match and potentially much more exciting,? Flory noted. ?It should be much more fan friendly so it should be a good time for the people have yet to experience volleyball to come out and watch.?
The Tigers will take on Baylor and New Orleans on Saturday at 12:30 and 5:30 p.m., respectively.