COLUMBIA, S.C. – The No. 16 LSU volleyball team concludes a four-match road trip and looks to regain its winning form during a Sunday matinee at South Carolina. First serve is tabbed for 12:30 p.m. CT.
LSU (13-1, 4-1 SEC) had its 13-match winning streak come to a close to start the season after dropping a 3-1 decision Friday at No. 2 Florida. The Tigers managed a 56-52 lead in kills, but the Gators carried a .323 to .190 hitting advantage.
Angela Bensend and Brittney Johnson tabulated double-doubles, while Michele Williams powered home a team-best 14 kills on a .345 hitting ratio. Desiree Elliott also posted nine kills and five blocks for the Tigers.
Bensend not only paces LSU’s offense but the SEC with 4.45 kills per set, a full half-spike better than her nearest completion. The Plano, Texas, native has run off eight straight matches with 10 or more kills, while her 3.11 digs per set is just outside the SEC’s Top 10.
Elliott, the reigning two-time SEC Freshman of the Week, continues her strong run and has registered over a .300 hitting percentage in all five of her conference tilts. Her .436 hitting percentage and 1.06 blocks per set in league matches check in at second and seventh in the SEC rankings, respectively.
Williams has popped double digit kills in six of her last seven outings, while her .361 hitting percentage is fourth-highest in the SEC. She has attacked at over a .300 clip in 11 of 14 matches, including four straight efforts. Her 3.44 kills per set are the most among SEC middle blockers.
Over her last six matches, Madie Jones has hammered home 74 of her 136 kills. She has ripped off double figure kills in five of those matches and her .331 hitting ratio during conference matches is eight-best in the SEC.
Johnson eclipsed the 40-assist plateau for the seventh time on the season at No. 2 Florida and her 10.94 assists per set continue to be the standard in the SEC. She also managed her team-best sixth double-double, 42 assists and 10 digs, against the Gators. The Baton Rouge native has set a balanced attack as LSU has had at least three hitters tally 10 or more kills in five of the last six matches.
LSU’s defense has held its opponents to a league-low .161 hitting percentage. Lauren Waclawczyk has sprawled out for the fifth-most digs in the SEC at a 4.04 per set average, while Sam Delahoussaye has compiled 10 or more digs in four of her last six outings. Both Waclawczyk and Delahoussaye are among the SEC’s Top 10 in aces per set.
LSU carries a 15-13 series edge over South Carolina, including three consecutive wins over the Gamecocks.
USC lost a hard-fought 3-1 affair to Arkansas on Friday as the Gamecocks dropped the final two frames 31-29 and 25-23. Juliette Thevenin headlines South Carolina and ranks fifth in the SEC with 3.60 kills per set, while Hannah Lawing anchors the Gamecock back row with a SEC-leading 5.29 digs per set.
“South Carolina is a very solid team that has lost some close matches,” head coach Fran Flory said. “They’re a young team that continues to develop and has gotten better as the season progresses. We have to bounce back from Friday, that match hurt our pride a little bit. The goal is to play well and execute. Hopefully, we’ll have enough pride, confidence and faith in each other to be ready for Sunday.”
Live stats for Sunday’s match are available on LSUsports.net, while fans also can follow live in-match updates on the team’s official blog at http://lsuvolleyball.posterous.com.