DALLAS, Texas – After falling in the first set, the LSU volleyball team defeated SMU in a five-set thriller by scores of 25-27, 25-20, 25-23, 22-25, 19-17 in Moody Coliseum Saturday afternoon. The Tigers are now 5-6 on the year, while SMU falls to 3-7.
Sophomore Taylor Bannister led the Tigers with a match-high 36 kills, the second-most kills in a five set match in program history. Lindsay Flory finished with a career-high 62 assists and 20 digs, her second-straight double-double and her fourth in her career.
UP NEXT
- The Tigers begin SEC action next weekend, opening the conference slate on the road at Georgia on Friday, Sept. 21 and at South Carolina on Sunday, Sept. 23. The Tigers open up home SEC play on Sept. 26 against Florida.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The two teams started off going back and forth. Toni Rodriguez tied the match up at 6-6 with a kill on an over pass. The Tigers went on a 3-0 run to take a 9-7 lead on the Mustangs.
- SMU worked its way back and tied the set up. The two teams went back and forth again, but the Mustangs took a 19-17 lead and forced the Tigers to a timeout.
- LSU got some momentum going after a big block by Whitney Foreman and Olivia Beyer, forcing SMU to a timeout. The Tigers then went on a 3-0 run to tie up the set 24-24 after a kill by Rodriguez.
- SMU came out on top after going point-for-point. The Mustangs used a kill and attacking error by the Tigers to take the first set, 27-25.
- Taylor Bannister led the Tigers with 11 kills in the first set, hitting .421. Lindsay Flory and Raigen Cianciulli each picked up six digs.
- LSU started off the second set behind, 3-1, but worked its way back to take an 11-6 lead on the Mustangs. The Tigers went on a 3-0 run, which including big plays from Rodriguez and Bannister.
- The momentum continued for the Tigers as they took a 15-8 lead after a couple of attacking error by the Mustangs. SMU used its second timeout of the set.
- Out of the timeout, the Tigers went on another 3-0 run, getting kills from Bannister and Olivia Beyer to take a 19-9 lead.
- SMU gained momentum and went on a 5-0 run to come within five, 20-15, forcing the Tigers to a timeout.
- The Mustangs came within four, 24-20, but Bannister used her 17th kill of the match to take the second set, 25-20 for the Tigers.
- Bannister and Beyer combined for 10 kills, while Flory recorded 12 assists and five digs.
- LSU started out the third set hot, taking an 11-6 lead on the Mustangs after a 4-0 run by the Tigers, which included kills from Bannister and Flory.
- SMU worked its way back to tie the set at 14-14, forcing LSU to a timeout. SMU took the lead out of the timeout and pushed to a 18-15 advantage. The Tigers tried to work their way back, but SMU pushed to a 22-19 lead, forcing the Tigers second timeout of the set.
- The Tigers went on a 3-0 run out of the timeout to tie the set up 22-22 on an ace by Bannister. The run forced SMU to a timeout.
- The two teams went back and forth, but a block by Beyer and Jacqui Armer ended the third set in the Tigers favor, 25-23, taking a 2-1 lead on the match.
- The fourth set started off back and forth between the Tigers and the Mustangs as the set was tied up 9-9.
- Bannister recorded her 27th kill of the match in the fourth set, setting a new career-high in kills.
- The set was tied up again at 12-12, 13-13 and 14-14 before SMU took a 18-15 lead, forcing the Tigers to a timeout.
- Bannister put together three-straight kills to tie up the set 19-19 and force SMU to a timeout.
- SMU scored three-straight points out of the timeout to take a 22-19 lead on the Tigers. The two went back and forth, but SMU came out on top in the fourth set, 25-22.
- Bannister led the Tigers with eight kills in the set, while Katie Kampen picked up six digs in the back row.
- LSU started off the fifth set on fire, taking a 5-1 lead after an ace from Lindsay Flory.
- SMU worked its way back to take a 8-7 lead on the Tigers before switching sides. The two teams went point-for-point, but the Tigers gained momentum and went on a 4-0 run to take a 11-8 lead, forcing SMU to a timeout.
- SMU tied the set at 11-11 and the two teams went point-for-point. SMU took a 14-13 lead and the Tigers took a timeout. Out of the timeout, the two teams went point-for-point, but the Tigers finished the set on a 3-0 run, claiming the fifth set 19-17 and the match.
NOTABLES
- Bannister’s career-high 36 kills led the Tigers for the 11th-straight match this season. It’s her ninth match in double-digits, her second match with 20 or more kills and her first match of 30 or more kills.
- The last time a LSU player had 30 or more kills in a match was Gina Tillis against Georgia in 2015.
- Rodriguez finished with a season-high 19 kills, her fourth match in double-digit kills.
- Flory finished with a career-high 62 assists and career-high 20 digs, her third double-double on the year and fourth in her career. It was her second double-double in as many matches.
- Beyer came back from injury and finished with a season-high 12 kills, her second double-digit kill match of the season.
- Taylor Bannister earned MVP of the SMU Doubletree Classic, while Lindsay Flory and Toni Rodriguez earned a spot on the All-Tournament Team.
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