DENTON, Texas — The LSU volleyball team dropped a four-game match to Oral Roberts, 30-26, 28-30, 30-22, 30-27, to open the Mean Green Classic at the Snake Pit on Friday evening.
With the loss, the Tigers fell to 3-7 on the season. The Golden Eagles improved to 5-9 on the year with the win.
Regan Hood led LSU with a career-high 25 kills, the second-most kills in a match in the Southeastern Conference this season. The SEC leader in kills per game also added eight digs and a match-high seven blocks.
Freshman Lauren Leaumont recorded her fourth double-double of the season with 11 kills and a team-high 13 digs. Sophomore Megan Heinz recorded 12 kills and five blocks, while freshman Kassi Mikulik had a career-high 11 kills.
Orieta Zuzich led the Golden Eagles with 17 kills, followed by Kimberly Snow with 13 and Becky Brunelle with 11. Becky Dreher had 13 digs for ORU, while Keri Meyerson had 10.
Despite recording their best percentage in a game this season, hitting at a .484 clip, the Tigers came up just short in the first game. LSU also out killed Oral Roberts, 19-16, and outdug the Golden Eagles, 12-8, but the difference in the game came from service points. The Tigers recorded four service errors, while Oral Roberts countered with four service aces for an eight point margin in a game decided by four points, 30-26, in favor of the Golden Eagles.
In the second game, the Tigers once again came out swinging, recording 17 kills and a .225 hitting percentage, compared to 12 kills and .139 for Oral Roberts. LSU also pounded back four blocks as Hood led the charge with three. A kill by Megan Heinz gave the Tigers the game victory, 30-28, to even the match at one game each.
In the third game, the Golden Eagles jumped out to an early 10-5 lead. The Tigers cut it down to 17-14, before Oral Roberts pulled ahead by six with a 3-0 run, 20-14. LSU would pull within two, 21-19, before a 4-0 put it out of reach for the Tigers as the Golden Eagles went on to take the game, 30-22.
In the fourth game there were 12 ties, the final being at 26-26. Oral Roberts then scored three straight to send the game to match point. The Tigers fought off the first match point before an attack went high to end the game and the match, 30-27.
The Tigers return to action on Saturday at 11 a.m. against UTEP before closing out the tournament against host North Texas at 7 p.m.