BATON ROUGE — The LSU volleyball team continued its domination at home this season, sweeping Southeastern Conference Western Division leader Arkansas, 30-23, 30-27, 30-27, on Wednesday night in the Maravich Center.
The Tigers, who are 15-0 in games over five matches at home this season, improved to 20-6 overall and 10-5 in league play. The loss dropped the Lady Razorbacks to 19-6 on the year and 11-4 in conference action. It marked the fourth win for LSU over Arkansas in school history and the second win in the last four meetings.
“I thought we played great and I think that our ball control was very good,” said LSU head coach Fran Flory. “We are such a different team and such a more confident team on our home court. Teams get into a comfort zone and, even though we have played fewer home matches than our football team has played home games, it is just nice to be home.”
With the win, the Tigers remain in the hunt for a share of the SEC Western Division championship. LSU faces Kentucky on Friday at 7 p.m. in the Maravich for Senior Night to close out the regular season. If the Tigers can defeat the Wildcats, LSU would need a Kentucky win over Arkansas on Sunday to finish in a tie with the Lady Razorbacks for the divisional championship.
The Tigers have now posted the most wins by an LSU team in 10 years, matching the 1995 team with 20 wins. In addition, the Tigers have matched the 2001 team with 10 SEC wins, which were the most conference wins by an LSU team since the 1992 team recorded 12 league wins.
As a team, the Tigers posted 57 kills to only 41 for Arkansas, while swinging at a .293 clip for the match to a .188 mark for the Lady Razorbacks. In addition, LSU out dug Arkansas, 50-48, and posted six service aces to three for the Lady’Backs. After Arkansas recorded 20 blocks in the first meeting this season, the Tigers held them to just four for the match, while recording eight of their own.
LSU senior Jelena Mijatovic led the match with 16 kills and a .481 hitting percentage for the Tigers. In addition, she recorded three service aces and 11 digs for a double-double. Freshman Marina Skender posted 12 kills and three service aces as well, along with nine digs and four blocks.
“I think that Jel hitting .481 with 16 kills and a double-double is just outstanding,” said Flory. “She just keeps getting better and better. We’ve rested her and she is beginning to reap the benefits of that.
Junior Melody Clark posted 11 kills with only one error for a .476 hitting percentage. In addition, she led the match with five blocks. Junior Kassi Mikulik posted 11 digs for the Tigers, while Daniela Romero recorded a match-best 49 assists.
“I think that Melody Clark was the key to the match,” said Flory. “Mel set the tempo. She went quick. I think she set the tone from the very beginning and she established us and our tempo better than anyone else.”
Christina Lawrence led the Lady Razorbacks with 11 kills and a .381 hitting percentage, followed by 10 kills from Denitza Koleva. Ashley Miller led the match with 15 kills for Arkansas, while Amy Allison posted three blocks to lead the Lady Razorbacks.
LSU exploded out to a 21-8 lead in the first game, before Arkansas used a late run to close the score. The Tigers went on to close out the game and take the early lead, 30-23, after hitting at a .333 clip with 17 kills, compared to a .057 mark with 10 kills for Arkansas.
In the second game, LSU fell behind, 7-4, before coming back to tie it at 12 all. After being tied seven more times, including the final time at 27, the Tigers scored the final three points of the game to pull ahead by two games, 30-27.
LSU led, 8-4, in the start of the third game before the Lady Razorbacks tied it up at 12 all. The Tigers again pulled ahead and stretched the lead to as many as seven. With LSU holding match point, 29-22, Arkansas scored five straight to get within two before the Tigers called timeout. Coming out of the break, LSU got a kill from Ivana Kuzmic to take the match, 30-27.
The Tigers will close out the regular season against Kentucky on Friday at 7 p.m. LSU will honor its two seniors, Kuzmic and Mijatovic following the match. The Tigers need a win in order to keep their hopes of their first SEC Western Division championship alive. LSU will advance to the SEC Tournament next week in Tuscaloosa, Ala., before awaiting NCAA Tournament selections the following weekend.
LSU def. Arkansas, 30-23, 30-27, 30-27
Arkansas (19-9, 11-4 SEC) (Kills-aces-blocks) – Christina Lawrence 11-0-0; Denitza Koleva 10-1-1; Amy Allison 6-0-3; Kele Brewer 6-0-1; Karla Crose 4-1-0; Nicole Martin 0-0-0; Iva Docekalova 0-0-0; Jessica Dorrell 4-0-0; Ashley Miller 0-1-0; Caira Daugherty 0-0-0; Totals 41-3-4.0. (Assists) – Nicole Martin 20, Iva Docekalova 14. (Dig leaders) – Ashley Miller 15.
LSU (20-6, 10-5 SEC) (Kills-aces-blocks) – Jelena Mijatovic 16-3-1; Marina Skender 12-3-4; Melody Clark 11-0-5; Kyna Washington 9-0-1; Ivana Kuzmic 8-0-3; Daniela Romero 1-0-1; Lauren Leaumont 0-0-0; Kassi Mikulik 0-0-0; Totals 57-6-8.0. (Assists) – Daniela Romero 49. (Dig leaders) – Jelena Mijatovic 11, Kassi Mikulik 11.