FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — For the first time in four years, the LSU volleyball team defeated Arkansas, taking the 39-37, 28-30, 30-27, 30-17 win in Southeastern Conference action on Friday night in Barnhill Arena.
With only their third victory over the Lady’Backs in school history, the Tigers moved to 15-10 on the season and 7-8 in SEC play, having won four of their last five matches. The loss dropped Arkansas to 13-13 overall and 9-6 in league action, dropping its last three in a row.
The win marked the first for LSU over the Lady’Backs since a 3-0 win on Nov. 2, 2001, and was the second win over Arkansas in Fayetteville in school history. The Tigers clinched a bid in the SEC Tournament next weekend and will play the Lady’Backs for the third time this season in the first round.
After taking a marathon game one, the Tigers dropped the second game to go to the locker room with the match tied. LSU then came seven down in the third game, to take game three. In the fourth game, the Tigers dominated Arkansas, scoring the final seven points of the game to take the match.
“I think this was a really big win for us,” said LSU head coach Fran Flory. “The fact that we persevered in game one was a testament to this team. We won the true battles and won all the big points.”
Five players recorded double-figure kills for LSU, led by Regan Hood with 16 kills. The senior also posted a career-best five service aces, seven digs and four blocks on the match.
Sophomore Melody Clark recorded 12 kills, two shy of her career best, along with three blocks. Sophomore setter Daniela Romero recorded a double-double, posting 56 assists along with 17 digs.
“Daniela did a tremendous job running our offense,” said Flory. “She keeps moving up and doing what needs to be done to win.”
With her third block of the match, junior Ivana Kuzmic posted her 500th career block. She finished with a match-best six blocks for the night. She become just the fourth player in LSU history to post 500 career blocks, although because she is a transfer, she is not ranked in the Tiger record books. In addition, Kuzmic recorded 11 kills for the match.
Junior Jelena Mijatovic extended her streak to 10 consecutive matches with a service ace after posting five on the night, her sixth match with five or more aces on the season. The SEC leader in service aces per game, she ranks fourth in the NCAA and second in aces per game in LSU history. In addition, she posted a double-double with 10 kills and 12 digs for the Tigers.
Kele Brewer led Arkansas with 18 kills, followed by Jennifer Haaser with 12 kills and 10 digs. Ashley Miller led the Lady’Backs with 14 digs, while Karla Crose posted 12 digs and a team-high five blocks.
In a game that tied the most points scored by the Tigers in rally scoring, LSU pulled out a 39-37 win to open the match. The Tigers fell behind early, 7-3, but came back to tie the game at 11 all. Leading by as many as five, LSU allowed Arkansas to come back and tie the game at 24 all.
The Lady’Backs then took the 27-24 lead, but the Tigers weren’t done yet. LSU came back to tie it up at 27 all. Fighting off four game points, the Tigers fought back to take their first game point at 35-34. It took LSU three game points before the Tigers took the game on a net violation by Arkansas.
The Lady’Backs tied the match with a 30-27 win in the second game. LSU fell behind, 7-4, early in the match, before tying it up at eight all. The Tigers then jumped out to a five-point lead, 18-13, but Arkansas battled back to tie it up at 20. After five more tied scores, the Lady’Backs stretched out to a 28-25 advantage. LSU got within two, but could get no closer are the teams went into the locker room tied up.
After failing to hit above .200, the Tigers posted a .292 hitting mark in the third game. Kassi Mikulik came in off the bench to provide five kills and a block for LSU.
“I think that Kassi Mikulik coming off the bench was the savior for our team tonight,” said Flory.
The Tigers fell behind, 18-11, midway through the action. As LSU fought back to within two, a controversial call by the referee on what appeared to be a kill for the Tigers but was ruled an error gave LSU a new life on the court. Trailing, 22-19, the Tigers tied it up at 23 all before taking the lead for good at 24-23. A kill by Mikulik gave LSU the two games to one lead, 30-27.
In the fourth game, the Tigers dominated to take the match in a resounding manner. With LSU holding an 11-10 lead, the Tigers went on a 7-2 run to pull ahead by six. LSU steadily put the pressure on and kept adding to the lead. Leading 23-17, the Tigers scored the final seven points of the match in the 30-17 win.
The Tigers will close out the SEC regular season on Sunday at Ole Miss. LSU will take on the Lady Rebels in the Gillom Sports Complex at 1:30 p.m. The SEC Tournament is next weekend at the O’Connell Center in Gainesville, Fla. The Tigers will then close out the season at home in the SEC/C-USA Challenge on Thanksgiving weekend.
LSU def. Arkansas 39-37, 28-30, 30-27, 30-17
LSU (15-10, 7-8 SEC) (Kills-aces-blocks) – Regan Hood 16-5-4; Melody Clark 12-0-3; Ivana Kuzmic 11-0-6; Jelena Mijatovic 10-5-0; Kassi Mikulik 7-0-2; Daniela Romero 6-0-1; Vanessa Freeman 6-0-1; Rachel Pittman 0-1-0; Beth Cowley 0-1-0; Totals 68-12-9.0. (Assists) – Daniela Romero 56. (Dig leaders) – Rachel Pittman 20; Daniela Romero 17; Jelena Mijatovic 12; Beth Cowley 9
Arkansas (13-13, 9-6 SEC) (Kills-aces-blocks) – Kele Brewer 18-0-2; Jennifer Haaser 12-0-2; Jessica Dorrell 8-0-1; Denitza Koleva 8-0-0; Amy Allison 6-0-4; Iva Docekalova 3-1-0; Amanda Eskridge 3-1-0; Karia Crose 2-0-5; Totals 60-2-7.0. (Assists) – Amanda Eskridge 24; Iva Docekalova 22. (Dig leaders) – Ashley Miller 14; Karia Crose 12; Jennifer Haaser 10; Amanda Eskridge 9; Kele Brewer 9; Iva Docekalova 8