GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The LSU volleyball team fell to No. 10 Florida, 30-20, 30-17, 30-18, on Friday night at the O’Connell Center as the Gators were able to accomplish something no other team had done against the Tigers this season, defeat LSU in three games.
With the loss, the Tigers fell to 18-5 on the year and 9-4 in Southeastern Conference play. Florida improved to 19-1 on the season and 12-1 in league action. The loss dropped LSU to a game behind Alabama in the SEC Western Division standings, while the Gators continue to lead the overall league race.
Kyna Washington led the Tigers with 10 kills, the only LSU players in double-figure kills as the Tigers only recorded 32 kills in the match, their fewest of the season. In addition, LSU hit below .100 for the first time this year, coming away with a .032 clip, and tied its season low with five blocks.
Elena Martinez continued her streak of double-figure digging matches with a team-best 14 for the Tigers, while Washington also added 11 digs for her 12th double-double of the season. Brittnee Cooper led LSU with four blocks, while Angela Bensend added three.
The Tigers lead Florida in the match with 16.5 blocks after recording only four through the first two games. Florida finished with 12.0 blocks, recording only five over the final two games. A big statistical difference came in digs as the Gators posted 73, compared with only 53 for LSU.
Florida posted 55 kills in the match, led by 14 from Marcia Hampton, as the Gators hit .361 overall, the best mark allowed by the Tigers by an opposing team this season. Elyse Cusack led the match with 20 digs for Florida, while Kisya Killingsworth and Kelsey Bowers tied for the match high with five blocks each. The Gators, however, did commit 11 service errors in the match, while LSU only posted five, its fewest of the year.
In the first game, Florida dominated statistically, posting 24 kills, the most allowed by LSU in a game this season, with only two errors, while hitting .550. The Tigers, conversely, recorded only 10 kills and hit .188 with four errors. LSU remained in the game early on because of Gator service errors as Florida committed seven service errors in the game, compared to only one for the Tigers. The Gators, however, outscored LSU, 11-5 to end the game after the Tigers had kept it within four.
Although LSU held Florida to only 18 kills in the second game, the Tigers only recorded 11 and posted nine errors. LSU took its first lead of the match, 7-6, but the Gators came back to score six straight to take the lead for good, 12-7. The Tigers could never really get anything going after that point as Florida went into the locker room for the break with the two-game advantage, 30-17.
LSU came out strong in game three and led, 6-3 early on, but the Gators went on a four-point run and scored seven of the next eight points to pull ahead, 11-7. The Tigers would not go away and fought back to get within two, 17-15, but could get no closer. Florida scored 13 of the final 16 points to take the game and the match, 30-18.
LSU will continue play on the road at South Carolina on Sunday at 12:30 p.m. CDT. The Tigers swept South Carolina, 3-0, in their first meetings this season. LSU returns home next weekend as the Tigers try to avenge two of their three conference losses. Having lost to both Kentucky and Tennessee in five games on the road, LSU will try to get those matches back as the Tigers face the Wildcats on Friday at 7 p.m. and the Lady Vols on Sunday at 1:30 p.m.
No. 10 Florida def. LSU, 30-20, 30-17, 30-18
LSU (18-5, 9-4 SEC) (Kills-aces-blocks) – Kyna Washington 10-0-0; Lauren DeGirolamo 7-0-1; Brittnee Cooper 6-0-4; Marina Skender 6-0-0; Angela Bensend 2-0-3; Maggie Lonergan 1-0-0; Totals 32-0-5.0. (Assists) – Maggie Lonergan 20. (Dig leaders) – Elena Martinez 14; Kyna Washington 11; Michelle Hensgens 8
No. 10 Florida (19-1, 12-1 SEC) (Kills-aces-blocks) – Marcie Hampton 14-0-2; Kisya Killingsworth 11-1-5; Amber McCray 10-0-0; Callie Rivers 8-0-4; Kelsey Bowers 7-0-5; Angie McGinnis 4-1-3; Kristina Johnson 1-0-0; Totals 55-2-11.0. (Assists) – Angie McGinnis 45. (Dig leaders) ? Elyse Cusack 20; Angie McGinnis 9; Marcie Hampton 9; Erin Fleming 8