AUSTIN, Texas — The LSU volleyball team fought gallantly, but came up short against a senior-laden third-ranked and fourth-seeded Texas Team, 30-21, 30-22, 30-23, on Saturday night at Gregory Gym to end its season.
The loss ends LSU’s season at 25-8, as the Tigers posted their third-straight 20-win season, with a third-straight Southeastern Conference Western Division championship. The Longhorns improved to 26-3 and have won 22-consecutive matches since falling at Nebraska in their first Big 12 Conference match. Texas advances to face Florida in Gainesville in the NCAA Regional championship.
“I’m really, really proud of my team,” said LSU head coach Fran Flory. “I thought they represented what we tried to do, but it was truly a match-up of a bunch of seniors on a mission playing a bunch of young kids trying to jump start us and get us to the next level. Credit Texas, but I couldn’t be any prouder of this team than I am.”
Falling in three games for just the second time all season, LSU improved with each game, but could not overcome the experience of Texas. While trying to disrupt the Longhorns offense with their serving game, the Tigers did record six service aces, but unfortunately also committed 14 service errors. Texas out killed LSU, 55-41, and out blocked LSU, 15.5 to 6.0. The Tigers committed only four unforced errors in the match, but the Longhorns defense was too much for LSU.
“We played about as well as we could play and we didn’t give them much of a fight,” said Flory. “Our offense was much improved from last night. If you look at how many hitting errors we had compared to the number of their blocks, we didn’t have too many unforced errors. I thought we made them earn their points and I thought they did an outstanding job.”
Junior Marina Skender led the match with 16 kills and a team-best .293 hitting percentage, followed by 13 kills from Kyna Washington. Playing on an injured foot that had her on crutches prior to the match, Lauren DeGirolamo led the Tigers with three blocks. Elena Martinez closed out her record-setting season with 12 digs to give her a new SEC single-season record of 740. Haley Reuther came in to post a pair of service aces, as did Skender.
Destinee Hooker led Texas with 12 kills, followed by 10 from Ashley Engle and 10 each from Juliann Faucette and Brandy Magee. Michelle Moriarty led the Longhorns with seven blocks, followed by six each by Lauren Paolini and Magee. Faucette led Texas with 16 digs and recorded the only ace of the match for the Longhorns.
LSU jumped out to a 3-0 lead early in the first game before Texas came back to tie it up at four. The pair traded the next two points before the Longhorns went on a 3-0 run to take the lead for good, 9-6. Texas pulled out to a five-point lead, 16-11, but the Tigers came back to cut the lead to three, 18-15. The Longhorns then scored five straight to pull away as Texas went on to take game one, 30-21.
The second game was one of runs, with each team having several point swings in the match. The Longhorns started with a five-point run to take the lead, 9-3. LSU used a three-point run to get within four, 16-12, but Texas countered by scoring three straight to stretch the lead to seven. The Tigers would get back to within four, 15-19, and again at 20-16, but the Longhorns then scored seven of the next eight points to pull ahead by 10, 27-17. LSU got as close as seven, 29-22, but could get no closer as Texas went into the locker room leading by two games, 30-22.
The Tigers played their best in the third game as LSU jumped out to a 9-5 lead early on. The Longhorns came back to tie it at 10 before taking the lead , 14-12. The Tigers fought back to tie it at 18, but with LSU trailing, 20-19, Texas went on a four-point run that put the Longhorns ahead by five and the Tigers could not overcome that lead. LSU got back to within three, 25-23, but could get no closer as the Longhorns went on to win the third game, 30-23.
The match marked the final career outing for senior Michelle Hensgens. The defensive specialist finished with five digs and an ace. She is the lone senior and her class has had the most successful four-year run since the 1994 team finished with 90 career wins, as Hensgens was part of 89 wins in four season for the Tigers.
No. 3 Texas def. LSU, 30-21, 30-22, 30-23
LSU (25-8) (Kills-aces-blocks) – Marina Skender 16-2-1; Kyna Washington 13-1-0; Angela Bensend 5-0-2; Lauren DeGirolamo 3-0-3; Brittnee Cooper 3-0-2; Elena Martinez 1-0-0; Michelle Hensgens 0-1-0; Haley Reuther 0-2-0; Brittney Johnson 0-0-2; Totals 41-6-6.0. (Assists) – Brittney Johnson 19; Maggie Lonergan 14. (Dig leaders) – Elena Martinez 12; Kyna Washington 6
No. 3 Texas (26-3) (Kills-aces-blocks) – Hooker, Destinee 12-0-3; Engle, Ashley 11-0-4; Magee, Brandy 10-0-6; Faucette, Juliann 10-1-2; Paolini, Lauren 9-0-6; Moriarty, Michelle 3-0-7; Totals 55-1-15.5. (Assists) – Moriarty, Michelle 44. (Dig leaders) – Faucette, Juliann 16; Jennings, Alyson 14; Engle, Ashley 13; Moriarty, Michelle 10