EDITOR’S NOTE: This is part 5 of a 12-part volleyball series recapping the outstanding 2005 season, previewing the 2006 season, giving fans basic volleyball rules, terminology and scoring basics leading up to the season-opening Tiger Invitational tournament in the Maravich Center on Aug. 25-26, featuring the “Pack Pete’s Seats” match against No. 2 Penn State at 7 p.m. on Aug. 26.
BATON ROUGE — In 2006, the Tigers are in the enviable position of having two great options on the right side, one option that has tremendous power, while the other can go at an opponent with finesse depending on the situation.
Junior Vanessa Freeman (Granger, Texas) returns to action after a great spring. The powerful right side is one of the most athletic players on the court for the Tigers and has continued to develop each year she has been at LSU.
For her career, Freeman has averaged over a kill and a half a game, with 0.59 blocks per game. In the final four matches of her freshman season, she recorded double-figure kills. In a win over No. 8 Notre Dame last year, Freeman recorded a career-high six blocks.
“Vanessa developed into a terminator on the right side over the spring and can terminate at any point in a rally,” said LSU head coach Fran Flory. “She developed a great number of shots and creates great angles with her arm and athleticism, and certainly is a blocking force on the right side.
In addition to action on the outside, Skender may also return to play on the right side, where she starred as a freshman last season. She became the first freshman at LSU to earn All-SEC honors since Daniela Reis in 1989.
In her first season, she recorded 2.82 kills per game with 0.90 blocks per game and 1.75 digs per game. In addition, she was second on the team with 0.32 service aces per game. She also ranked second with a 0.296 hitting percentage, recording the second-best hitting percentage in LSU history with 20 or more attempts with a .700 clip against Auburn.
“There is not much you need to say about Marina,” said Flory. “She was the Freshman of the Year playing the right side. She has pinpoint accuracy and can hit shots that everyone in the gym looks around and asks how she did that. She is one of the most deceptive offensive players I have ever coached.”
The team will open the 2006 season on Aug. 25 against Rice in the Maravich Center in the Tiger Invitational at 7 p.m. The Tigers will then take on Nicholls State on Aug. 26 at 11 a.m. before closing out the two-day tournament against No. 2 Penn State at 7 p.m.
Admission to the tournament is free with an “Advocate” ticket. Those tickets are available through the LSU Promotions Department by calling (225) 578-8960. In addition, fans are encouraged to wear white to the Penn State match, and “Walk on the Wild Side” t-shirts will be given away in an attempt to “Pack Pete’s Seats” and break the LSU volleyball attendance record.