Overall Record: 17-2
SEC Record: 8-2
SEC Standings: Tied for 2nd overall [T-1st West]
AVCA Ranking: No. 17
RPI Rating: No. 14
Last Week: 1-1
Oct. 13 – Arkansas [W, 3-1 – 25-17, 17-25, 25-13, 25-17]
Oct. 15 – at Ole Miss [L, 3-0 – 21-25, 18-25, 18-25]
Nominee for Defensive & Freshman of the Week
Desiree Elliott, MB, Fr., Cypress, Texas
Elliott turned in a pair of career performances as LSU finished the first half of the SEC schedule. She posted an astounding 3.43 kills per set, recorded spikes on 62 percent of her swings and racked up 1.71 blocks per set playing only three rotations. The Cypress, Texas, native matched a career-high 11 kills on only 15 swings for a career-best .600 hitting percentage against Arkansas. Elliott also posted a career-high eight blocks versus the Razorbacks for the ESPNU cameras. She followed that up another career effort and smacked 13 kills at Ole Miss.
Totals for the Week
SP Kills Err. Att. Pct. Assists Aces Rec * Err Rec *Att Digs BS BA TB Team ** Hit Pct.
7 24 6 39 .462 0 0 0 1 0 1 11 12 .199
Notes on the Tigers
LSU made its 2010 television debut with a 3-1 victory over Arkansas in front of the ESPNU cameras before dropping a three-set affair at Ole Miss to conclude a four-match stretch in eight days to wrap up the first half of the SEC schedule. The setback to the Rebels ended LSU’s 34-match SEC Western Division winning streak that dated back to the 2006 season. The Tigers check in at 17-2, 8-2 SEC and fell to No. 17 in the latest edition of the AVCA Top 25 poll. Desiree Elliott continued her climb up the SEC rankings sparked by a pair of career performances. She matched a career-high 11 kills on 15 swings against Arkansas. Her .600 hitting percentage and eight blocks versus the Razorbacks also were career-bests. The Cypress, Texas, native pounded a career-high 13 kills at Ole Miss to notch her third straight 10 or more spikes effort. She has connected for second-highest hitting clip, a .423 ratio, along with a league-best 1.29 blocks per set in conference matches. Despite having her 12-match run of double figure kills come to a close, Angela Bensend remains the SEC’s frontrunner with 4.27 kills per set. Brittney Johnson also has handed out a league leading 10.78 assists per set and tallied a team-best eight double-doubles on the season. Madie Jones has cranked a .359 hitting percentage to rank eighth aided by six plus .400 outings during SEC matches. Michele Williams will look to get back on track after being limited to 22 kills over her last three matches. She has belted 3.17 kills per set on a .335 hitting percentage; both marks are among the SEC’s Top 10. LSU’s back row of Lauren Waclawczyk, Sam Delahoussaye and Meghan Mannari have fueled the Tigers to a 66 percent sideout efficiency [432-659] along with a 96 percent serve-receive rating [546-566] during the first half of league play. Waclawczyk has posted 4.17 digs and 0.32 aces per set; both feats are fifth in the SEC. LSU starts the second half of SEC action with a pair of road contests against Georgia [6 p.m. CT, Friday] and Auburn [1:30 p.m. CT, Sunday].