BATON ROUGE — The LSU volleyball team won its Southeastern Conference home opener on Friday night in convincing fashion by sweeping Auburn, 30-10, 30-21, 30-20.
The win improved LSU to 5-5 overall and 2-1 in SEC play. It is the best start for the Tigers in conference action since the 1995 season, when they also began 2-1. Auburn fell to 1-10 on the year and 0-3 in the league.
“This was a win I felt we had to have,” said LSU coach Fran Flory, whose team was coming off a 3-0 loss to Kentucky. “I think we did a good job of preparing all week in practice and we came out ready to play tonight.”
Junior Jennifer Hampton posted her third double-double of the season as she hit for 14 kills while recording 11 digs, both team highs. Hampton also had tied for the team high with four blocks.
Senior Meghan Bedford just missed the double-double, nothing 12 kills and nine digs.
“Bedford and Hampton both did a really nice job for us,” said Flory. “They got on track offensively and were able to put balls away all night long.”
Sparked by Hampton and Bedford, who hit .375 and .435 respectively, LSU had a season-high .363 hitting percentage on the night, while holding Auburn to just a .044 mark. The Bayou Bengals blocked nine attack attempts in shutting down the Auburn offense.
“Our offensive efficiency was much better tonight as was our blocking,” Flory noted. “Those were two things we really focused on this week in practice and paid off for us.”
Auburn did not have a player reach double-figures in kills as Jennifer Buckert led the team with seven kills. Karhia McKenzie had a match-high 14 digs.
The home-standing Tigers dominated the match from the opening serve as the lead hit double-digits at 16-6 in game one. It was 26-10 before LSU ran off the final four points of the game.
Auburn hung in the second game and trailed by just three, 15-12, at the halfway point. However, LSU methodically pulled away from there to take the game, 30-21.
The third frame was much of the same with LSU jumping out to an early 11-3 lead an coasting to the game win. Rotating nearly everyone into the game, LSU managed to hold onto the lead and win the game.
“It was nice to be able to get a lot of player into the game,” said Flory of playing 13 players in the match. “It will definitely help us down the road in terms of gaining experience and improving the depth on our team.”
The Tigers return to action on Sunday when they face defending SEC Western Division champion Alabama at 2 p.m.