BATON ROUGE — The LSU volleyball team will look to build upon its Southeastern Conference Western Division lead when it welcomes eighth-ranked Florida to the Pete Maravich Assembly Center at 7 p.m. on Friday.
The match against Florida also marks the finale of “Dig for the Cure,” a national campaign that LSU is participating in that benefits Komen for the Cure in its efforts to raise awareness for the breast cancer disease.
The Tigers, winners of three straight matches, have built a two-and-a-half-match lead over Ole Miss in the West. LSU (11-6, 6-4 SEC) won both matches last weekend, defeating Mississippi State, 3-1, followed by a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Alabama in Tuscaloosa. The victory over the Bulldogs marked the 300th career victory for head coach Fran Flory.
Florida is 16-1 on the season and has accumulated a perfect 10-0 conference record. The Gators have posted three consecutive sweeps as they have beaten Tennessee, South Carolina and Auburn in three sets. The closest conference match Florida has played came against Kentucky on October 10 when the Gators held off the Wildcats to win in five sets.
Florida is led by freshman Kelly Murphy, who is second on the team in kills with 193, second on the team with 102 digs and leads the team with 351 assists.
“Florida is the perennial power, and we’re all chasing them right now,” Flory said. “They are a team that has gained experience and confidence throughout the season, and they are going to come in here understanding that we are also a team that has done the same thing.”
LSU squared off against Florida on September 21 in Gainesville in a match the Gators won 3-1. With the win against the Tigers, Florida now leads the all-time series 29-12.
“We are excited about the opportunity to compete. We know we are going to have to have a special performance to beat Florida, but I think we have had a great week of practice and our kids are ready to play,” Flory said.
LSU will look to the senior leadership of Elena Martinez against Florida as Martinez was named SEC Defensive Player of the Week for the third time this season for her performances against Mississippi State and Alabama. Martinez, the reigning SEC Defensive Player of the Year, collected 48 digs ? an average of 5.33 per set ? in the two matches. Martinez had 28 against Alabama which is the second-highest total she has recorded this season, and it moved her up to sixth place all time in career digs in the LSU record books as she now owns 1,174 for her career.
Senior Kyna Washington enters the match against the Gators needing only two kills to move into eighth place all time for career kills as she currently holds 1,354.
To close out “Dig for the Cure,” LSU will host a Pink Carnival from 5:30 to 6:45 p.m. before the match on the south side of the Maravich Center next to Mike the Tiger’s Habitat.
There also will be a silent auction for LSU items including an autographed baseball from LSU head baseball coach Paul Mainieri, gear from women’s basketball and much more.
Fans are encouraged to wear pink because those in pink will receive free admission, and the first 200 fans into the Maravich Center will receive a coupon for free cotton candy.