Overall Record: 10-3
SEC Record: 3-0
SEC Standings: 1st West
Last Week: 1-0
Sept. 25 – Mississippi State [W, 3-0 – 26-24, 25-18, 25-17]
This Week:
Sept. 30 – No. 23 Tennessee [7 p.m.]
Oct. 2 – Kentucky [1:30 p.m.]
Nominee for Offensive Player of the Week
Madie Jones, OH, Jr., Plano, Texas
Jones continued her charge up the SEC rankings and powered home 19 kills, two shy from a career-high, during LSU’s 3-0 triumph over Mississippi State. It was the sixth straight match that Jones has recorded 10 or more kills. She belted seven spikes in each of the first two sets and rose to sixth place in the SEC rankings with 3.48 kills per set. With LSU behind 23-21 in set one, Jones provided three quick kills to aid the Tigers in fighting off two set points and finishing the frame on a 5-1 spurt for a 26-24 comeback win. She added four digs and three blocks.
Totals for the Week
SP Kills Err. Att. Pct. Assists Aces Rec * Err Rec * Att Digs BS BA TB Team ** Hit Pct.
3 19 6 39 .333 0 0 0 0 4 0 3 3 .246
Nominee for Defensive Player of the Week
Meghan Mannari, DS, Jr., Frisco, Texas
Mannari continued her banner first season at libero as LSU secured a sweep over Mississippi State to start SEC play 3-0 for the fourth time in the last six seasons. She corralled a match-best 23 digs, the second-highest output of her career and equaled a SEC season-high for a three-set match , at an astounding 7.67 per set ratio. It was Mannari’s third consecutive 20-plus dig effort. LSU’s defense limited MSU to a season-low .069 hitting percentage, the seventh time this season an opponent has been held under a .100 ratio. The Tiger defense also bottled up Hannah Wilkinson, the SEC’s and NCAA’s leader in hitting percentage, to a paltry .095 mark along with Caitlin Rance, who entered the match with the third highest kills per set average, to only five spikes. Mannari was perfect on all 18 of her passing attempts.
Totals for the Week
SP Kills Err Att PCT Assists Aces Digs BS BA TB Team * Hitting %
3 0 0 1 .000 2 2 23 0 0 0 .246
Nominee for Freshman of the Week
Malorie Pardo, S, Fr., League City Texas
Pardo, the SEC’s leader in assists per set, continued her strong play during LSU’s 3-0 victory over Mississippi State. She handed out 44 assists to go along with six digs and a block. The Tigers posted a crisp 51 kills, an average of 17 spikes per set. The League City, Texas, native also distributed almost three assists more than her season average and fueled Madie Jones to a 19-kill performance.
Totals for the Week
SP Kills Err. Att. Pct. Assists Aces Rec * Err Rec * Att Digs BS BA TB Team ** Hit Pct.
3 2 1 4 .250 44 0 0 0 6 0 1 1 .246
Notes on the Tigers
The LSU volleyball team continued its winning ways with a three-game sweep over Mississippi State. In the process, the Tigers improved to 3-0 to start SEC action for the fourth time in the last six seasons. LSU also moved to 50-3 versus its fellow SEC Western Division rivals dating back to 2006. Madie Jones powered home a match-high 19 kills, two away from her career-best. It was the sixth straight match that Jones has belted double digit kills. Desiree Elliott and Michele Williams combined for 20 kills, 11 off the right-arm of Elliott as she reached 10 or more kills for the eighth consecutive outing. For the match, LSU racked up 51 total kills ignited by Malorie Pardo‘s 44 assists. Defensively, LSU bottled up the Bulldogs to a season-low .069 hitting percentage. The Tigers smothered MSU’s top two offensive options Caitlin Rance and Hannah Wilkinson. The duo tallied five kills each with Wilkinson, the SEC’s and NCAA’s hitting percentage leader at the beginning of the week, was held to a paltry .095 clip. LSU notched a 69-42 digs advantage sparked by Meghan Mannari‘s 23 scoops. It was the second-highest effort for Mannari during her career. She has reeled in double figure digs in 11 of her 12 appearances on the season. LSU squares off with No. 23 Tennessee [Friday at 7 p.m.] and Kentucky [Sunday at 1:30 p.m.], who is receiving votes in the latest edition of the AVCA Top 25 poll. Since 2005, LSU has collected a 150-47 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 going back to 2005.