TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The 10th-ranked LSU volleyball team had trouble finding the court the entire match as the Tigers lost a big lead in game three and never recovered, losing to Southeastern Conference rival Alabama, 28-30, 30-25, 28-30, 30-28, on Sunday afternoon at the CAVE.
With the loss, LSU ends its 13-match winning streak, which was tied for the third longest in school history, and falls to 15-2 overall and 7-1 in SEC play. The Tigers are now tied with Florida for the overall lead in the league. The Crimson Tide improved to 11-6 on the year and 6-2 in conference play.
“This was a very tough match and you have to credit Alabama because they played hard and were very efficient when they needed to be,” said LSU head coach Fran Flory. “We have got to maintain a tougher mental attitude through the entire match and we didn’t do that.
“We responded to the atmosphere in the building,” Flory continued. “We became followers rather than leaders and the leader is going to determine where you go and Alabama led us. They certainly deserved to win the match. I think they outplayed us and credit them with their effort. I think this is a great lesson for our team and I think this will be a stepping stone forward. We’re certainly disappointed but we’ll get back in the gym and get better from it.”
LSU rallied late in the first game to tie it up at 27 all, but could not push past and take the lead as Alabama earned the game one win. The Tigers led almost from start to finish of game two and were in control most of the game as the pair went into the locker room tied up.
It was the third game that proved to be the big blow for LSU. With the Tigers leading 28-23, after holding as big as a seven-point lead late in the game, the Crimson Tide scored the final seven points of the game to dash the hopes of LSU and put the Tigers behind going into game four. LSU never recovered from Alabama’s comeback as the Crimson Tide dominated the fourth game to take the match.
“I felt like we had the match in control at the end of game three and we could not close it out,” said Flory. “Credit to Alabama because they made the plays when they had the opportunity to make the plays and we didn’t. This is certainly a match we will learn from and certainly a match that we will get back into the gym and get better from.
With her ninth assist of the match, senior Daniela Romero moved into second place in career assists in LSU history. For the match, the Arlington, Texas, native finished with 51 assists, her sixth 50-assist match of the season. The senior setter now has 3,783 assists for her career, behind only SEC record holder Daniela Reis with 6,379.
Freshman Lauren DeGirolamo led the Tigers with 14 kills, followed by sophomore Marina Skender with 13, sophomore Kyna Washington with 12 and senior Melody Clark with 11. DeGirolamo led LSU with five blocks, followed by three from Romero and junior Vanessa Freeman.
Senior Kassi Mikulik led the match with 26 digs, her sixth 20-plus dig match of the season. In addition, Skender posted 17 digs, while also leading the match with five service aces.
Bridget Fuentez led the match and Alabama with 20 kills, followed by Crystal Hudson with 16 and Brooks Webster with 13. Fuentez and Rachael Green led the match with six blocks each, while Amy Pauly led the Crimson Tide with 25 digs.
As a team, the Tigers recorded 61 kills, compared to 63 for Alabama. However, LSU posted a team .110 hitting percentage, including a -.094 mark in the fourth game, while the Crimson Tide hit at a .250 clip for the match. Alabama just out blocked the Tigers, recording 11.5 for the match, while the Tigers had 11.0. LSU did record 68 digs while the Crimson Tide had 59 and the Tigers posted 10 service aces, while holding Alabama to three.
The Tigers were shooting themselves in the foot in game one, committing several costly unforced errors as LSU could not find the court on the other side. For the game, the Tigers hit just .132, committing 11 attacking errors, including one at game point for Alabama.
With the game tied at 11, the Crimson Tide pulled ahead to a 26-19 lead, the largest of the game for Alabama. LSU then used a 7-0 run to tie it up and get itself back into the game. With the game tied at 27, Alabama got back-to-back kills to send it to game point. The Tigers fought off the first game point, but a hitting error by Skender gave the Crimson Tide the first game, 30-28.
In the second game, LSU came out and took control early and never led the lead go. The Tigers used a 6-0 run to take a 12-4 lead early in the game. Alabama got back to within four, 16-11, before LSU once again stretched the lead out again, leading by as many as six, 21-15. The Crimson Tide would get no closer than four the rest of the way as the Tigers took the game, 30-25, to go into the locker room tied at one game each.
After hitting just .132 in game one, LSU came back with a .206 effort in the second game. The Tigers posted an identical 16 kills, but committed two fewer errors on four fewer attempts. In addition, LSU added three more blocks, after recording four in game one. Conversely, Alabama posted just a .171 clip in game two, committing eight errors, while only recording 14 kills.
The Tigers gave away game three. LSU led 27-20 and again, 28-23, needing just two points to take the game, but the Crimson Tide scored seven straight to win, 30-28. Alabama got four kills from Fuentez in their run, all on the same play to the outside, that the Tigers could not stop.
LSU finished the game hitting .255, posting 20 kills with only eight errors, but the Crimson Tide hit at an astounding .429 clip, recording just two errors with 20 kills on 42 attempts. In addition, Alabama recorded three blocks in the game, while the Tigers were held to one.
After the heartbreaking loss in game four, LSU never recovered. The Tigers fell behind, 14-5, early on, before the Crimson Tide expanded their lead to as many as 13, 20-7. LSU got it back to within eight, 21-13, but could get no closer as Alabama won the game and the match, 30-18.
Next weekend the Tigers will travel to take on Auburn and nationally ranked Florida. LSU will face AU on Friday at 7 p.m. before traveling to take on the No. 8 Gators on Sunday at 12:30 p.m. (CT) The Tigers will next be at home on Oct. 20 for a rematch with Kentucky before facing off once again with nationally ranked Tennessee on Oct. 22.
Alabama def. No. 10 LSU, 30-28, 25-30, 30-28, 30-18
No. 10 LSU (15-2, 7-1 SEC) (Kills-aces-blocks) – Lauren DeGirolamo 14-0-5; Marina Skender 13-5-2; Kyna Washington 12-1-2; Melody Clark 11-1-2; Vanessa Freeman 7-0-3; Daniela Romero 2-1-3; Lauren Leaumont 0-1-0; Elena Martinez 0-0-0; Michelle Hensgens 0-1-0; Kassi Mikulik 0-0-0; Brittnee Cooper 2-0-2; Totals 61-10-11.0. (Assists) – Daniela Romero 51. (Dig leaders) – Kassi Mikulik 26, Marina Skender 17.
Alabama (11-6, 6-2 SEC) (Kills-aces-blocks) – Bridget Fuentez 20-1-6; Crystal Hudson 16-0-1; Brooks Webster 13-0-1; Liz Salstrand 5-0-3; Rachael Green 5-0-6; Brigitte Slack 4-0-2; Megan Hudson 0-1-0; Sarah Snider 0-0-0; Amy Pauly 0-1-0; Jennifer Weber 0-0-0; Totals 63-3-11.5. (Assists) – Brigitte Slack 47. (Dig leaders) – Amy Pauly 25, Sarah Snider 10.