BATON ROUGE — After falling behind two games to one, the 20th-ranked LSU volleyball team rallied back to win an epic five-game battle over Alabama, 31-33, 30-23, 33-35, 30-21, 15-7, to take over first place in the Southeastern Conference Western Division on Friday night at the Maravich Center.
The match marked the kickoff for the month long “Dig for the Cure” campaign to benefit the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation to fund research for breast cancer. Fans are asked to make pledges at any of the SEC matches in October for every dig the Tigers record, or they can make direct monetary contributions at any of the SEC matches. Representatives from the Komen Foundation will be on hand at the matches to accept donations, along with several fan friendly fundraisers that will help raise money throughout the month.
With their fourth five-game win of the season, the Tigers improved to 14-2 on the year and 6-1 in league play. The loss dropped Alabama to 8-8 overall and 5-2 in conference action. With the win, LSU moved one game ahead of Alabama in the SEC West and remain one game behind No. 6 Florida for the overall conference lead.
“I’m really proud of the way we bounced back after being down 2-1,” said LSU head coach Fran Flory. “I thought we fought hard and played relatively well, but I was disappointed in the number of unforced errors that we gave up. They were very atypical, unfocused errors that created the opportunity for Alabama to be up 2-1, but you have to credit them.”
Kyna Washington led LSU with 21 kills, while recording 17 digs and two service aces. Marina Skender became the first LSU player since late last season to record both 20 kills and 20 digs as she finished with 20 kills and 25 digs to go along with an ace and three blocks.
Lauren DeGirolamo was two kills shy of her career record with 17, while also hitting a team-best .467 and a team-best six blocks. Brittnee Cooper posted 13 kills to go along with three blocks. Elena Martinez finished one dig shy of 30 with a match-leading 29, while Michelle Hensgens posted 13.
Coming in off the bench in the second game, Brittney Johnson led LSU with 39 assists. The freshman also posted four kills, two aces, four digs and two blocks in the most action she has seen in a league match in her career. Maggie Lonergan started and posted 22 assists, three aces and four digs in two games.
“Brittney Johnson coming in was the difference in the match,” said Flory. “She did a great job in really her first time setting for most of the match in an SEC contest. I think she’s getting very close and if she’s not ready now, she will be in the next week or so. She’s worked really hard to get where she needs to be.
“I think our offense is a little better with her right now. I think that Maggie has done a great job up to this point. She’s gotten us to 13-2 and that’s no slouch, but Brittney adds a little different dimension and I think we saw that with our offense tonight.”
As a team, LSU dominated Alabama in almost every statistical category, which made the match seem lopsided and not the hotly contested five-game epic it was. The Tigers out killed the Crimson Tide by nearly 30, 82-53, while also out hitting Alabama, .205 to .102. In addition to out digging the Crimson Tide, 96-85, LSU posted 10 service aces while not allowing Alabama to finish with one. The only category the Crimson Tide topped the Tigers in was blocks, holding a slight 13.0 to 10.0 advantage.
“Alabama is a team that makes you earn your points,” said Flory. “In each game we had to earn a significantly larger number of points than they were earning. That is a tribute to a good team and proves that they are a pretty solid team. Finally in game four I thought we became the team that we have been and we caught a rhythm. We really went with it for the first time all match and were able to sustain it for more than just a five or seven point run. I’m really proud of that.”
LSU extended its advantage in the overall series with Alabama, 23-21, and has now won four straight and six of the last seven in the Maravich Center. The test will come in the CAVE, one of only two venues senior Hensgens has failed to record a win in, joining Florida’s O’Connell Center.
The month-long “Dig for the Cure” campaign continues through the month to raise money for breast cancer awareness through the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation, formerly known as the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Donations will be accepted throughout the month of October, which has been designated Breast Cancer Awareness Month, with the proceeds of the campaign going directly to the Komen Foundation.
The “Dig for the Cure” campaign was originally started in 2003 by Charlotte head coach Lisa Marston, whose mother was a breast cancer survivor, and has spread to volleyball programs across the country in recent years. Last year, the campaign raised over $72,000 nationally.
Fans can donate a quarter to the special wishing well at the Ole Miss match on Oct. 17 and have the opportunity to have their LSU wish come true. Among the wish items that will be available is an LSU volleyball autographed by the nationally ranked Tiger team.
LSU and Mizuno are encouraging youth volleyball teams to come to the match as part of “Mizuno Team Day” against Mississippi State on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. Local teams get into the match for FREE with “Advocate” tickets available through the LSU Promotions Office at (225) 578-8960. In addition, the first 100 fans will receive FREE wristbands. Senior citizens will also get into the match for free as they can spend the afternoon watching volleyball and playing bingo.
No. 20 LSU def. Alabama, 31-33, 30-23, 33-35, 30-21, 15-7
Alabama (8-8, 5-2 SEC) (Kills-aces-blocks) ? Crystal Hudson 16-0-7; Bridget Fuentez 13-0-4; Lindsey Buteyn 10-0-4; Liz Salstrand 6-0-4; Brooks Webster 4-0-1; Brigitte Slack 2-0-4; Alyssa Meuth 2-0-0; Totals 53-0-13.0. (Assists) – Brigitte Slack 46. (Dig leaders) – Amy Pauly 27; Bridget Fuentez 15; Megan Hudson 12; Brigitte Slack 10; Mary Catherine Aune 9.
LSU (14-2, 6-1 SEC) (Kills-aces-blocks) ? Kyna Washington 21-2-0; Marina Skender 20-1-3; Lauren DeGirolamo 17-1-6; Brittnee Cooper 13-0-3; Angela Bensend 6-0-3; Brittney Johnson 4-2-2; Elena Martinez 1-1-0; Maggie Lonergan 0-3-0; Totals 82-10-10.0. (Assists) ? Brittney Johnson 39; Maggie Lonergan 22. (Dig leaders) – Elena Martinez 29; Marina Skender 25; Kyna Washington 17; Michelle Hensgens 13.