TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The LSU volleyball team completed a season sweep of Alabama on Friday with a 30-28, 30-27, 30-27, victory in Tuscaloosa.
The win moves the Tigers to 14-9 on the year and 9-5 in the Southeastern Conference. The 14th win guarantees LSU a winning season while the nine conference wins are the most since the 1992 season.
“Clinching the winning season is nice, but we still have five matches left,” said LSU coach Fran Flory. “I think if we can get to a respectable mark, we can get some looks from the NCAA Tournament. Usually you need about 20 wins for that, so we?ll have to make a run in the SEC Tournament next week to do that.”
The Tigers are now 8-1 against division opponents this season and own season sweeps of Alabama, Ole Miss and Mississippi State.
Alabama, 19-7 overall and 9-5 in the league, squandered a chance to clinch second place in the SEC Western Division and fourth overall in the SEC. LSU now controls is destiny for those positions.
“I am proud of the fact that we came into a hostile environment and did not let that effect us tonight,” Flory noted. “We set a goal this season to control our own division and we have done that with one match left. Arkansas is the only team we haven?t beaten twice this season and that says about our kids.”
Middle blockers Lauren Cuyler and Meagan Davis led the way for LSU on the night, hitting for 10 kills a piece. Each was efficient as well as Cuyler notched a .529 hitting percentage and Davis hit a match-high .563.
Cuyler also dominated the net, registering eight blocks, including one solo, as the Tigers outblocked the Crimson Tide 12-9.
“Our middles were unbelievable tonight. Anytime they got the ball they were successful. Meagan and Cuyler are doing a great job of leading this team right now and we are going to continue to rely on them for the next two weeks,” Flory said.
Junior Jennifer Hampton also had a solid night for LSU, recording a double-double with 13 kills and 12 digs, both team highs.
Jennifer Bibber was the go-to player for Alabama, posting a match-high 14 kills despite hitting just .143. No Crimson Tide player hit above .300 as they were outhit .252-.177.
Game one was a back-and-forth affair as no team was able to gain a decisive lead until a five-point run by the Tigers. Trailing 23-22, LSU used a pair of blocks and some timely kills to gain the advantage it would need to take the game.
The second frame was more one-sided as the Tigers took control early, 12-6, and never let the Crimson Tide mount a serious threat. Alabama would only get as close as two, that coming at 29-27.
The third game was nearly a carbon copy of game one as each team traded points throughout. Alabama took a brief four-point lead at 23-19 only to see LSU storm right back and tie it.
After going up 25-23, the Crimson Tide lost three straight points, giving the Tigers the lead they would not relinquish.
The Tigers continue their road trip on Sunday when they face Auburn at 2 p.m. in both teams final match before the SEC Tournament.