Overall Record: 13-6
SEC Record: 6-3
SEC Standings: 1st West
Last Week: 2-0
Oct. 14 – Georgia [W, 3-1 – 25-18, 19-25, 25-16, 25-23]
Oct. 16 – Auburn [W, 3-1 – 25-17, 23-25, 25-21, 25-22]
This Week:
Oct. 21 – Alabama [7 p.m.]
Oct. 23 – Ole Miss [1 p.m.]
Nominee for Offensive Player of the Week
Madie Jones, OH, Jr., Plano, Texas
LSU rode Jones’ right-arm to consecutive victories against Georgia and Auburn as the Tigers maintained sole possession of top spot in the SEC Western Division. She has connected for 10 or more kills during 10 of her last 12 outings. For the weekend, Jones posted 4.12 kills per set on a .291 hitting percentage. She ripped 16 kills to go along with four digs and three blocks versus Georgia. With LSU and Auburn tied at one set apiece, Jones took over the match and belted 12 of her team-leading 17 kills over the final two frames highlighted by seven spikes during the fourth stanza.
Totals for the Week
SP Kills Err Att PCT Assists Aces Digs BS BA TB Team * Hitting %
8 33 8 86 .291 0 0 6 1 2 3 .316
Nominee for Defensive Player of the Week
Meghan Mannari, DS, Jr., Frisco, Texas
Mannari continued her strong defensive campaign as LSU’s libero to fuel the Tigers to a pair of four-set victories over the weekend. She racked up 42 digs at an astounding 5.25 per set average. The performances lifted Mannari’s season average to 4.53 scoops per set to vault her up to second place in the SEC rankings. Mannari, the SEC’s digs leader in conference matches, corralled 25 digs versus Auburn. It marked Mannari’s second highest performance as a Tiger. The Frisco, Texas, native also sparked LSU to outdig its opponents by close to six balls per frame. She corralled 17 digs against Georgia and anchored the back row in limiting the Bulldogs to a .122 hitting percentage.
Totals for the Week
SP Kills Err Att PCT Assists Aces Digs BS BA TB Team * Hitting %
8 0 0 1 .000 3 2 42 0 0 0 .316
Nominee for Freshman of the Week
Malorie Pardo, S, Fr., League City, Texas
Pardo was magnificent in all facets of the game during LSU’s four-set triumphs against Georgia and Auburn over the weekend. She not only distributed 13.00 assists per set, a full 1.40 helper above her season average, but notched 2.38 digs, 0.62 blocks and 0.38 aces per set. Pardo set the Tigers to over a .300 hitting percentage during six of eight sets and seven double figure kill efforts on the weekend. She handed out 49 assists, tacked on nine digs and added two aces as LSU’s offense was ignited for a .402 hitting clip against Georgia, the team’s best effort since opening weekend. The League City, Texas, native followed that up with a 55-assist and 10-dig effort versus Auburn to compile her team-leading seventh double-double of the season. She also secured three blocks, one shy of her career-high.
Totals for the Week
SP Kills Err Att PCT Assists Aces Digs BS BA TB Team * Hitting %
8 1 1 5 .000 104 3 0 0 19 1 4
Notes on the Tigers
The LSU volleyball team racked up back-to-back four-set wins over Georgia and Auburn to strengthen its lead atop the SEC Western Division to 1.5 matches over the weekend. The Tigers racked up a .316 team hitting percentage as Desiree Elliott, Madie Jones and Michele Williams each powered home over 3.00 kills per set. Jones hammered 12 of her match-high 17 kills during sets three and four against Auburn. Elliott opened the weekend with 12 kills on 17 swings with only one error to collect a scorching .647 hitting clip versus Georgia. Malorie Pardo dished out 13.00 assists per set and secured her team-leading seventh double-double of the season, 55 assists and 10 digs, during the Auburn match. Pardo fueled LSU to a .402 team hitting ratio against Georgia, the team’s highest output since opening weekend. For the first time since SEC opening weekend, Nicole Willis returned to double figure kills with an 11-spike performance versus Georgia. LSU’s defense was stellar and limited Georgia to a paltry .122 hitting percentage. For the weekend, the Tigers outdug their opponents by close to six balls per set. Meghan Mannari led the way with 5.25 scoops per set highlighted by a 25-dig effort against Auburn, her second-highest career output. Sam Delahoussaye also posted consecutive 10 or more dig performances, while Lauren Waclawczyk moved to three digs away from passing Detra Brown [1983-86] for the No. 8 spot on LSU’s all-time list. LSU concludes its four-match homestand to finish off the first half of the SEC schedule. The Tigers meet with Alabama [Friday at 7 p.m.] and Ole Miss [Sunday at 1 p.m. televised by CST] for the second time this season. LSU has collected a 153-50 record and claimed six consecutive SEC Western Division titles since 2005. The Tigers also have tallied the nation’s 14th-best winning percentage and is one of 18 programs nationally to secure six straight NCAA Tournament appearances going back to 2005.