COLLEGE STATION, Texas — After defeating Arizona State on Friday, the LSU volleyball team will close out the Nokia Sugar Bowl Classic against No. 8 Notre Dame on Sunday at 11 a.m. at G. Rollie White Coliseum.
The Tigers (9-1) defeated the Sun Devils, 3-1, on Friday in the first match of the tournament, snapping a three-match winning streak by ASU. The Fighting Irish (9-0) remained undefeated on the season after sweeping Tulane on Friday.
“Notre Dame is an outstanding team and this will be a huge challenge for out team,” said LSU head coach Fran Flory. “We feel like we are very prepared for this match. We know this is our last opportunity against a non-conference opponent, but we also think this is our best opportunity.”
Based on their start to the year, the best beginning since the 1991 season, the Tigers are now receiving votes in the CSTV/AVCA Coaches poll for the first time under Flory. This is the highest ranked team LSU has played this season after the Tigers dropped a heartbreaker in five games to then No. 12 Texas A&M last weekend.
“We think our season has prepared our team for this match,” said Flory. “We are excited about this opportunity.”
Notre Dame jumped 11 spots in the poll from No. 19 to No. 8 last week after sweeping through their three matches in the UTSA Dome Rally. The Fighting Irish posted a win over No. 8 USC, 3-1, and sweeps of Oklahoma and No. 6 Florida.
For the season, the Fighting Irish have wins over three top 25-ranked teams, including two ranked in the top 10 at the time. Notre Dame also defeated then No. 11 Texas in the Shamrock Invitational in South Bend two weeks ago.
On the court, LSU is led by a pair of outstanding seniors, who account for over 40 percent of the Tigers’ kills and blocks on the season. Jelena Mijatovic was named to the UTSA Dome Rally all-tournament team last weekend. The senior outside hitter leads the Southeastern Conference and ranks 25th in the NCAA in kills per game with 4.89.
In addition, she leads the SEC and ranks eighth in the nation with a 0.84 service aces per game average. Recording her 100th service ace at LSU against Arizona State, she entered the Tiger record book at the school record holder for service aces per game.
Senior Ivana Kuzmic is the current SEC Defensive Player of the Week. The middle blocker ranks second in the SEC and 10th in the NCAA in blocks per game at 1.73. She posted her first double-figure blocking match of the season with 10 vs. Texas A&M last weekend. She is now close to a pair of milestones, needing just two blocks to reach 600 and 14 kills for 1,000 in her career.
Junior Kassi Mikulik leads the Tigers and ranks eighth in the SEC in digs per game. The converted outside hitter is averaging 3.57 digs per game as the libero and is tied for second on the team with 11 service aces.
Following the tournament, LSU will remain on the road to open SEC play next weekend. The Tigers were scheduled to open conference action at home, but due to Hurricane Katrina the matches have been moved to Fayetteville, Ark.
LSU will now take on South Carolina on Friday, Sept. 23 at 4 p.m. before closing out the weekend against No. 16 Tennessee on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. The matches will be played as part of doubleheaders with Arkansas. The Lady’Backs, as LSU’s travel partner in volleyball, face the same SEC teams the Tigers do each weekend.
Due to these schedule changes, LSU’s first home match has been delayed until Oct. 14 against Mississippi State. The Tigers will have been on the road for seven consecutive weekends, having played 17 road matches, to start the season before returning home to the Maravich Center in mid-October.