LSU Gold

Volleyball Defeats Fresno State in Four Sets

by Chelsey Chamberlain
Box Score +0
Volleyball Defeats Fresno State in Four Sets

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – The LSU volleyball team took care of Fresno State in four sets to open the Lumberjack Classic on Friday in the Rolle Activity Center. The Tigers defeated the Bulldogs by scores of 25-21, 17-25, 25-18, 25-15 to improve to 4-2 on the year. The Bulldogs are now 4-3 on the season. 

Junior Taylor Bannister led the Tigers with 18 kills with a career-high .762 hitting percentage. Freshman Karli Rose finished with 43 assists and junior Raigen Cianciulli led with 11 digs. Sophomore Whitney Foreman added in 11 kills, while senior Sydney Mukes tallied nine.

UP NEXT

– The Tigers continue the Lumberjack Classic Friday evening, taking on host Northern Arizona at 9 p.m. CT. Click here to follow along.     

HOW IT HAPPENED

  • The Tigers jumped out to a 8-4 lead on Fresno State, forcing the Bulldogs to a timeout. Fresno State worked its way back as the Bulldogs came within one, 11-10. But the Tigers gained momentum, taking a 13-10 lead after a Taylor Bannister kill.
  • Fresno State took another timeout at 15-10, but the Tigers went on a 7-1 run to take a 22-11 lead. The Bulldogs went on a 6-1 run to try and work their way back.
  • The Tigers had a 24-17 lead, but the Bulldogs went on a four-point run before the Tigers took the set on a Samarah Hill kill, 25-21.  
  • The Tigers hit .304 in the first set with Bannister leading the way with four kills. Sydney Mukes finished the set with three.
  • The two teams started off the second set going point-for-point as they were tied at 6-6. The Tigers took a timeout as Fresno State gained momentum, taking a 13-10 lead.
  • Fresno State went on a 5-2 run to take a 18-12 lead and force the Tigers to use their second timeout of the set. Fresno State took a 22-14 lead. The Tigers tried to work their way back as they went on a 3-1 run, but the Bulldogs claimed the set after back-to-back points, 25-17.
  • The Tigers jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the third set off a couple of kills from Bannister and a kill from Samarah Hill, while taking advantage of Fresno State’s mistakes. Fresno State called for a timeout, but the Tigers pushed to a 10-2 lead.
  • LSU forced the Bulldogs to use their second timeout of the set after taking a 13-4 lead on a kill by Whitney Foreman. Fresno State went on a 9-5 run, but the Tigers continued to lead 18-13.
  • The Tigers claimed the set on a kill by Bannister and an error by the Bulldogs, 25-18. The Tigers hit .467 as a team in the third set.
  • The teams battled in the fourth set, going back and forth in the beginning. The teams were tied at 6-6, but the Tigers scored back-to-back points off a couple of attack errors by the Bulldogs, forcing them to a timeout.
  • The Tigers had a 15-11 lead after a Foreman kill, but the Bulldogs started to work their way back as they came within two, 16-14.
  • The Tigers finished the set on a 7-0 run, taking advantage of Fresno State’s mistakes and getting kills from Bannister. The Tigers finished the match on a block by Bannister and Anita Anwusi.
  • The Tigers hit .524 on the set and .354 on the match.

NOTABLES

  • Bannister led the Tigers with 18 kills, her fifth match of the year leading the Tigers. Her career-high .762 hitting percentage is the first time a player has hit over .700 since 2016. Her double-digit kills is her fifth match of the year with 10-plus. 

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