FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The No. 17 LSU volleyball team finishes the 2010 regular season with a Wednesday evening tilt at Arkansas. First serve is slated for 7 p.m. inside of Barnhill Arena.
With a victory, LSU (24-4, 15-4 SEC) can secure sole possession of second place in the overall SEC race. The Tigers have already clinched their sixth straight SEC Western Division crown, the second longest run only to Florida (1994-2008) in league history at the top of a division.
LSU also is in the mix for one of 16 regional host spots, which will be announced Sunday at 2 p.m. during the NCAA Tournament Selection Show televised by ESPN News.
“All of that is really out of our hands other than trying to win and create the best opportunity to make the committee look in that direction,” head coach Fran Flory said. “If we don’t win this match, then we are creating an opportunity for the committee to look elsewhere. So, that has been the emphasis, and hopefully we can go in there and win.”
Angela Bensend has reached double figure kills in 22 of 28 matches this season, while her 3.79 spikes per set are second in the SEC. She popped 12 kills and added 15 digs against No. 1 Florida for her eighth double-double of 2010. The Tigers are 34-3 when Bensend tallies 10 or more kills.
Brittney Johnson, the SEC’s leader in assists per set, has surpassed 40 helpers in four of her last five matches. LSU’s offense has had three or more hitters reach double digit kills in 11 of its last 20 matches. The Baton Rouge native handed out 48 assists to go along with nine digs against No. 1 Florida.
Desiree Elliott, a candidate for SEC Freshman of the Year, has recorded over a .300 hitting percentage in 13 of her 19 league matches. Her .334 hitting ratio and 1.12 blocks per set are tops among league freshmen. The Cypress, Texas, native has crushed 10 or more kills in eight of her last 12 matches, including a 17-spike effort against No. 1 Florida.
“Desiree is just a competitor,” Flory said. “She’s a true athlete who competes every play and in every opportunity that she gets. She’s going to be a great one here, and she has already proven that in her freshman year.”
Madie Jones has powered home 10 of her 13 double figure kill performances during SEC action. Her .313 hitting clip during conference play ranks just outside the SEC’s Top 10.
Michele Williams has tacked on 3.12 kills per set to rank eighth in the SEC on a .302 hitting percentage. She also has been strong on the defensive end with 88 blocks, which is second on the squad. Over her last nine matches, Tania Schatow has racked up 45 kills and 31 blocks.
The LSU back row continues to chug along with a 97 percent serve-receive effort teamed with a 65 percent sideout efficiency during SEC play.
Lauren Waclawczyk has pieced together 15 straight matches of 10 or more digs and her 4.07 scoops per set are sixth-best in the SEC. The junior libero also has cranked an ace in 11 of her last 17 matches.
Sam Delahoussaye and Meghan Mannari have contributed 13 double figure dig efforts apiece and both have compiled over 2.45 scoops per set. Delahoussaye has pulled in 10 or more digs in nine SEC contests, while Mannari has reached that feat in her last six matches. Mannari’s 17 digs against No. 1 Florida equaled a career-best.
“The best part about Meghan is that she receives information, processes and makes changes in game plan and technique in the middle of the match,” Flory said. “Most players can’t do that. She is an intelligent and physical player who plays low to the ground and makes those plays that nobody else can make. She amazes me every day in practice. It doesn’t matter if it is hard-driven or easy, the ball is going to the target which creates transition opportunities.”
Arkansas (14-16, 8-11 SEC) has won five of its last eight matches highlighted by a 4-1 mark at home during that stretch. The Razorbacks are headlined by Jasmine Norton, who is the SEC’s frontrunner with a 3.85 kills per set average. Raymariely Santos, the reigning SEC Freshman of the Week, has dished out the SEC’s fourth-most assists at an 8.75 per frame ratio in league play.
“Arkansas is always a tough team, Norton is a great outside hitter,” Flory said. “Last year, we got into a five-set match and it would have cost us the SEC Championship if we had lost. So, this team is very aware of how difficult that venue is. They’re a young team that continues to develop. We’re going to have to bounce back pretty quickly after an emotional weekend.”
Live stats for Wednesday’s match are available on LSUsports.net inside the Geaux Zone. Fans also can follow live in-match updates on the team’s official blog at http://lsuvolleyball.posterous.com.