TUCSON, Ariz. — The LSU sand volleyball team opened up the 2015 season by defeating Arizona State and falling to Tulane at the Arizona Invitational. The Tigers defeated Arizona State 4-1 on Friday afternoon and dropped the match, 3-2, to Tulane in the season opener.
“I think for us, the bottom line (for the Tulane match) is nerves,” said coach Russell Brock. “ We had a bunch of players out there that had never been in that situation before. (These are) young players who are playing in their first collegiate match. Our whole team didn’t play to our potential. Tulane’s a strong team, but we didn’t feel like we put our best foot forward.
In the opening match, LSU gave great effort as Emily Ehrle and Emma Hiller dominated their match to two set wins, giving the Tigers a point. On court four, Carly Morris and Laura Whalen fell in straight sets. Riley Young and Cheyenne Wood also dropped two sets on court five.
The Tigers received a boost from Cati Leak and Callan Molle, who battled to a three-set win on court three. With the Helen Boyle and Lilly Kessler would lose two-straight matches 14-21, 17-21 and LSU would fall to Tulane 3-2.
The Tigers turned things around in the second match as Young and Wood secured a point in straight sets 21-16, 21-10 to give LSU a 1-0 lead.
After Arizona State tied the match, Hiller and Morris retaliated by winning the second set 21-12. Katie Lindelow and Mandi Orellana dominated their match in straight sets 22-20 and 21-10, and the pairs of Boyle/Kessler and Leak/Molle battled their way to three-set wins to help cap off the team’s 4-1 match win over the Sun Devils.
“It feels great,” said coach Brock. “We won 4-1, but two of those matches went deep into the third set. They both went our way and it says a lot about the immediate progression from the first match.”
The Tigers turn their focus toward Arizona. LSU faces off against the Wildcats at 12 p.m. CT Saturday.
For the latest information on LSU Sand Volleyball, fans can follow the Tigers on Twitter and Instagram @LSUsandVB and @RussLSUsand, or on Facebook by liking LSU sand volleyball.
2015 Arizona Invitational
Tucson, Ariz.-University of Arizona
March 6
LSU vs. Tulane
1. Lindelow/Orellana (W) 22-20, 21-10
2. Boyle/Kessler (L) 14-21, 17-21
3. Leak/Molle (W) 19-21, 21-17, 15-11
4. Morris/Whalen (L) 14-21, 11-21
5. Young/Wood (L) 24-26, 16-21
6. Ehrle/Hiller (W) 21-19, 21-8
LSU vs. Arizona State
1. Lindelow/Orellana (W) 22-20, 21-14
2. Boyle/Kessler (W) 21-19, 27-29, 15-13
3. Leak/Molle (W) 21-19, 18-21, 24-22
4. Whalen/Ehrle (L) 12-21, 18-21
5. Young/Wood (W) 21-16, 21-10
6. Hiller/Morris (W) 23-21, 21-12