DALLAS — After Hurricane Ivan forced the cancellation of the Tiger Classic, the LSU volleyball team will take on SMU, Miami and UW-Milwaukee at SMU this weekend.
LSU’s three opponents had been scheduled to be in New Orleans for the Nokia Sugar Bowl Classic this weekend, but the event was also cancelled because of the hurricane. The Tigers (5-1) will face Miami at 11 a.m. and UW-Milwaukee at 5 p.m. on Friday. LSU will conclude play against SMU on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
“This is another great opportunity for us,” said LSU head coach Fran Flory. “This is the second time this season we have had to cancel one of our tournament and have to form another tournament, but we have gained opportunity out of this. It was not planed, it just occurred and we will use it to our advantage.”
After leaving at 4:30 a.m. for a 12-hour trip that saw the volleyball team drop part of the LSU soccer team in Lafayette, La., and part of the team in Shreveport, La., for their trip to Colorado, the Tigers arrived in Dallas at 4:30 p.m. and practiced for two hours.
“These teams are very good,” said Flory. “We’re going to have to play well to be successful. This team has one goal at the end of the season and that is to be a champion. We have to overcome adversities and take advantage of this opportunity.”
LSU is off to its best start since the 1997 season, when the Tigers began the year at 7-1. The only loss LSU has suffered this season came at Texas last weekend, a team that is receiving votes in the top 25 poll.
The Tigers are 0-1 all-time against SMU, with their only meeting coming in Houston in 2000. LSU is also 0-2 all-time against Miami, but the two teams have not met since 1980. This will be the first meeting between the Tigers and UW-Milwaukee.
LSU opens Southeastern Conference play next weekend at home against Georgia and No. 4 Florida. The Tigers will take on the Bulldogs on Friday at 7 p.m. and the Gators on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. in the Maravich Center.