AUBURN, Ala. — Sam Dabbs distributed a match-best 37 assists and fueled the LSU volleyball team to a .356 team hitting percentage in a 3-0 sweep over Auburn [25-22, 25-20, 26-24] Friday at the Student Activities Center in-front of 1,215 fans.
LSU (8-4, 2-1 SEC) extended its winning streak to 21 matches over SEC Western Division opponents and picked up its 16th straight victory over Auburn (9-5, 1-2 SEC).
Dabbs set LSU over a .300 hitting percentage for the fourth time this season highlighted by .480 and .438 clips in the second and third sets, respectively. The Tigers also posted an impressive 80 and 72 sideout efficiency in those frames.
Brittnee Cooper and Marina Skender combined for 28 of LSU’s 43 kills. Cooper ripped 15 kills on 20 swings en route to a season-best .700 hitting percentage and added four blocks. Skender powered home 13 kills to go along with seven digs and three aces.
Michele Williams tacked on five kills, while Lauren Waclawczyk reeled in 11 digs for her third consecutive double-digit dig performance.
“Sam set a great match and did an excellent job of managing the offense,” head coach Fran Flory said. “We worked hard all week in practice helping her to make the best decision and our hitting percentage tonight reflects that.”
LSU received back-to-back Skender kills coupled with a Sam Delahoussaye ace to turn a 24-22 hole into a 25-24 advantage during the third set. After an Auburn timeout, an Alyssa Davis attack error secured the sweep for LSU. The trio of Cooper, Skender and Williams tallied 17 of LSU’s 18 kills in the frame.
“We were extremely focused and efficient tonight,” Flory said. “Our team did an excellent job of coming together. Auburn is much-improved and more physical team on the outside. We pushed really hard down the stretch of that third set. Sam didn’t serve like a freshman and did an excellent job of hitting the zones we wanted her.”
The two teams went back-and-forth splitting the first 28 points of the opening set. Ahead 18-17, LSU strung together three straight points capped by an Angela Bensend kill to push the lead to 21-17. Auburn trimmed the deficit to one on three occasions, but LSU answered each time. At 23-22, Cooper and Skender cranked consecutive spikes to close out the frame, 25-22.
LSU used much of the same in set two. Down 15-14, LSU forced Auburn into back-to-back hitting errors paired with a Cooper kill to surge ahead 17-15. Auburn pulled back to 21-20 before LSU notched four straight points highlighted by a two Skender aces for the 25-20 victory.
“Marina did an excellent job in all facets of the match,” Flory said. “She not only hit .367 but had key aces for us late in the second set. Her serve was a big weapon and tonight was the first glimpse of her getting that weapon back after her injury.”
LSU continues its four-match road swing Sunday at Georgia. First serve against the Bulldogs is slated for 12:30 p.m. with live stats available on LSUsports.net. Fans also can follow in-match updates of the defending four-time SEC Western champions via www.twitter.com/lsuvolleyball.
“Georgia is a solid young team and is dangerous on their home court,” Flory said. “We’ve already started talking and focusing in on Sunday’s match.”