BATON ROUGE — The LSU volleyball team will look to get back to its winning ways against Ole Miss in Southeastern Conference action on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. in the Maravich Center.
The Tigers (9-4, 1-2 SEC) dropped a heartbreaking five-game match to Mississippi State on Friday, while the Rebels (7-7, 0-3 SEC) fell to Arkansas in four games.
“We have to regroup after our loss to Mississippi State on Friday and come out and play our game,” said LSU head coach Fran Flory. “We need to get back into our rhythm and take care of things on our side. Ole Miss is a much-improved team over last year and we will have to play well to be successful.”
LSU and Ole Miss are almost statistically even in every category. The pair are both averaging 14.7 kills per game, while the Tigers hold the .212 to .210 edge in hitting percentage. The Rebels, however, hold the 14.6 to 14.7 advantage in digs per game, but LSU holds the lead at the net, 2.9 to 2.2.
Junior Ivana Kuzmic leads the Tigers with 2.98 kills per game, a .292 hitting percentage and a team-best 1.65 blocks per game average, the best in the SEC and 19th best nationally. Junior Jelena Mijatovic ranks second on the team with a 2.93 kills per game average, while leading the team with .55 service aces per game, second best in the league.
Senior Rachel Pittman leads the team with 3.06 kills per game and sophomore Daniela Romero ranks fifth in the SEC with a 11.02 assists per game average.
Ole Miss is led by Jaclyn Toohey with 3.13 kills per game and 2.38 digs per game. Tricia Eble posts a team best 1.24 blocks per game, while Jennifer McGowan and Ashleigh Shear split time at the setter position.
LSU will be on the road next weekend as the Tigers travel to Alabama and Auburn. LSU will take on the Crimson Tide on Friday at 7 p.m. before facing AU on Sunday at 1:30 p.m.