Overall Record: 6-1
SEC Record: 0-0
SEC Standings: 1st West
AVCA Ranking: Receiving Votes
Last Week: 3-0
Sept. 2 – vs. Arkansas Little Rock [W, 3-1 – 25-17, 25-22, 24-26, 25-13]
Sept. 2 – vs. Grambling [W, 3-0 – 25-7, 25-15, 25-13]
Sept. 3 – at New Mexico State [W, 3-1 – 25-22, 22-25, 25-23, 25-18]
Nominee for Offensive Player of the Week
Desiree Elliott, MB, So., Cypress, Texas
Elliott fueled the Tigers to an undefeated weekend at the Hotel Encanto Classic where she racked up 3.75 kills and 1.25 blocks per set. She is the only player in the SEC to be ranked the league’s top 10 in both kills and blocks per set. The reigning SEC Freshman of the Year belted 10 of match-high 16 kills on a scorching .600 hitting percentage during sets three and four versus New Mexico State, a team that took No. 5 Nebraska to five sets last weekend. She also garnered six blocks, including a solo stuff to clinch the opening set. Elliott collected 14 kills to go along with four blocks against Arkansas-Little Rock and has reached double figure kills in four of her five matches this season.
GP Kills Err. Att. Pct. Assists Aces Rec * Err Rec * Att Digs BS BA TB Team ** Hit Pct.
8 30 12 67 .269 0 0 0 3 1 1 8 10 .243
Nominee for Defensive Player of the Week
Michele Williams, MB, Sr., Magnolia, Texas
Williams anchored LSU’s defense as the Tigers held their opponents to a dismal .093 hitting percentage and claimed the Hotel Encanto Classic title over the weekend. She racked up 12 blocks at an astounding 1.50 per set mark to move into the SEC’s top spot in that category. Williams has totaled five or more blocks in three straight matches. The Magnolia, Texas, product also cranked out six aces and her 0.33 per set average is just outside the SEC’s Top 10.
Totals for the Week
SP Kills Err Att PCT Assists Aces Digs BS BA TB Team * Hitting %
8 22 11 53 .208 0 6 1 3 9 12 .243
Nominee for Freshman of the Week
Helen Boyle, OH, Fr., Eureka, Missouri
Boyle put together a pair of solid performances as LSU won all three of its matches at the Hotel Encanto Classic. She was superb in all facets of the game en route to 2.75 kills, 2.75 digs, 0.88 blocks and 0.38 aces per set. The Eureka, Missouri, native claimed her second career double-double with 11 kills and 13 digs against New Mexico State, a squad that took No. 5 Nebraska to five sets last weekend. She made critical plays late in sets to vault the Tigers to victory. Tied at 22-22 in set one, Boyle used her shot-creating ability on an out-of-system kill and added an ace to spring LSU to a 25-22 triumph. During the fourth set, Boyle notched three kills and two blocks during a 10-0 run that turned a 15-12 deficit into a 22-15 advantage. She powered home 11 kills, nine digs and secured a career-high four blocks in LSU’s 3-1 win over Arkansas-Little Rock to open the weekend.
Totals for the Week
SP Kills Err. Att. Pct. Assists Aces Rec * Err Rec * Att Digs BS BA TB Team ** Hit Pct.
8 22 12 74 .135 1 3 1 43 22 1 6 7 .243
Notes on the Tigers
The LSU volleyball team got back on the winning track and secured a trio of wins to claim the Hotel Encanto Classic title. The Tigers knocked off Arkansas-Little Rock, Grambling State and New Mexico State to move to 6-1 and improved their September winning streak to 15 matches going back to 2009. LSU’s defense posted another stellar weekend and racked up 2.36 blocks per set to hold its opposition to a measly .083 hitting percentage for the weekend. Meghan Mannari, the reigning SEC Defensive Player of the Week, anchored the back row with 33 digs at 3.00 per set rate. The Frisco, Texas, native has scooped up double figure digs in five of her first six matches this season. During its first true road match, LSU relied heavily on its All-SEC Preseason Team picks Desiree Elliott and Michele Williams to notch a 3-1 triumph over New Mexico State. The duo combined for 31 kills and 11 blocks. In the last two sets, Elliott and Williams elevated their play to connect for 18 of their kills on a scorching .484 hitting clip. Helen Boyle also contributed her second career double-double with 11 kills and 13 digs, while Malorie Pardo handed out a match-high 50 assists. Versus Grambling, LSU freshmen Marissa Maas, Madi Mahaffey and Avery Striebel belted double figure kills for the first time in their careers. Maas was near perfect and powered home 10 kills on 11 swings. Her .909 hitting percentage was second-highest in program history for a player who recorded 10-14 swings in a match only behind former All-American Ivana Kuzmic. Shelby Pursley dished out a career-high 36 assists to go along with 10 digs to garner her first career double-double against Arkansas-Little Rock. LSU continues its eight-match road swing and wraps up the non-conference slate next weekend at Western Kentucky where the Tigers will square off with Wake Forest, Xavier and the host HIlltoppers. Dating back to the 2005 season, LSU has collected a 146-45 record and claimed six consecutive SEC Western Division titles. The Tigers also have tallied the nation’s 11th-best winning percentage and are one of 18 programs nationally to secure six consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances since 2005.