HOUSTON ? The No. 17 LSU volleyball team wraps up the regular season with a non-conference tilt Friday at Rice. First serve is slated for 7 p.m. at Tudor Fieldhouse.
The Tigers (24-5, 18-2 SEC) have won 17 of their last 18 matches sparked by 12 sweeps to claim the program’s first SEC regular season crown since 1991. LSU also secured the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament after Kentucky’s five-set loss at Tennessee on Wednesday.
LSU had its Thanksgiving Dinner at senior Brittnee Cooper‘s house in Houston.
“Thanks to Cooper family who gave us a taste of home instead of being on the road,” head coach Fran Flory said. “We’re extremely grateful for a wonderful feast.”
Cooper continues to pace the SEC with a .390 hitting percentage and 1.32 blocks per set. She has powered home 104 kills over her last eight matches and her 3.43 kills per set rank seventh in the SEC.
Marina Skender has knocked double-digit kills in 25 of 29 matches this season and has tallied a double-double in seven of her last 10 outings. Skender’s 3.90 kills per set in SEC matches ranks fourth. The Croatia native enters Friday’s match ranked seventh in program history with 1,462 kills and 1.241 digs.
Lauren DeGirolamo has popped 53 of her 132 kills over her last nine matches. She joined Cooper and Skender as she eclipsed the 1,000 career kills mark against Alabama. DeGirolamo also reeled in a career-best 21 digs against the Crimson Tide and her 1.07 blocks per set in SEC matches are ninth.
Sam Dabbs has set the Tigers to over a .300 team hitting percentage on 13 occasions this season, including seven of LSU’s last 13 matches. She has distributed 11.14 assists per set, up from her 9.22 clip from a season ago, as the Tigers are 16-5 when Dabbs passes out 40 or more helpers over the last two seasons.
Michele Williams has belted 79 of her 154 kills in conference play during her last 10 matches and her 1.16 blocks per set ranks fifth in the SEC. She has provided at least five blocks in 10 of her last 17 outings.
Lauren Waclawczyk has corralled double-digit digs in 21 of her 27 starts at libero and recorded at least 15 digs in seven of her last 11 outings. She has tallied an ace in four straight matches and her 0.26 aces per set ranks seventh in the SEC.
Sam Delahoussaye has added 11 double-digit dig efforts and compiled a perfect passer rating in seven of her last 10 road matches.
Rice (22-8, 11-5 C-USA) is led by Conference USA Tournament MVP and reigning CVU National Player of the Week Meredith Schamun. She has dished out 11.83 assists per set and fueled four players to 2.25 kills per set. Ashleigh McCord, Natalie Bogan and Jenn McClean have knocked over 300 kills apiece for the Owls, while Tracey Lam has reeled in 588 digs at a 5.39 per set ratio.
“Rice is a very strong team with quick middles and experienced outside hitters,” Flory said. “They’re a team that’s going to challenge us. They keep a lot of balls off the floor and get into extended rallies. We’re going to have to be really disciplined and efficient on offense to beat them.”
Live stats for the Rice match are available in the Geaux Zone on LSUsports.net. Fans also can follow in-match updates of the 2009 SEC champions via www.twitter.com/lsuvolleyball.