Baton Rouge, La. – LSU (8-11) volleyball won a five-set thriller against Georgia (5-12) on Friday night in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
LSU won the first set, 25-16. The Tigers fought off a late rally by Georgia in the second set, winning 25-17. Georgia won the third set, 25-20. The Bulldogs took the fourth set, 25-22, forcing a fifth set to decide the winner of the match. LSU won the fifth set, 15-13, and won the match.
“A win is a win,” said head coach Fran Flory. “Proud of our kids and proud of our fight. I’m excited to play Georgia again tomorrow. I look for tomorrow to be a fun match again.”
The Tigers host Georgia again on Saturday at 7 p.m. CT in the PMAC.
The Tigers were led in kills by Taylor Bannister who finished with a season-high 30. It is the first time she had 30 kills in a match since 2018, when she had 36 against SMU. Hannah Brister had 13 kills for the match., including five in the final set.
“Hannah and Taylor have been the keys all year,” said Flory. “They had to carry a bigger load and did a good job.”
Karli Rose finished with a team-high 49 assists. Raigen Cianciulli added 10 of her own to help pace the match.
Three Tigers finished with double-digit digs for the night. Cianciulli had 20, Paige Flickinger finished with 13 and Rose had 11.
LSU finished with a season-high .321 hitting percentage for the match, a big factor in its win over the Bulldogs.
How it Happened
Set 1
- LSU got out to an early 3-1 lead over Georgia.
- The Bulldogs responded with a rally, evening the score at four.
- Back-to-back kills gave the Tigers a 7-5 lead over the Bulldogs.
- Both teams continued to trade points, but LSU held the lead, 12-9.
- A block by Anita Anwusi gave the Tigers a 14-10 lead as Georgia used a timeout.
- Kills by Whitney Foreman and Brister had LSU leading the Bulldogs 18-14 as Georgia called another timeout.
- LSU eventually won the first set, 25-16.
Set 2
- The Tigers got on the scoreboard first via a Karli Rose service ace to start the set.
- LSU took a quick 4-0 lead over the Bulldogs.
- Paige Flickinger and Bannister had back-to-back kills to give LSU an 8-2 lead as Georgia was forced to call a timeout.
- After a service ace by Jill Bohnet and kill by Rose, Georgia called a timeout as it trailed LSU, 13-5.
- The Bulldogs were able to rally and cut into LSU’s lead. The Tigers were still up, 21-16.
- LSU was able to fight off the rally and win the set, 25-17.
Set 3
- Both teams traded points to start the third set and the score was tied at three.
- Neither team could take a commanding lead as the score stayed tied at seven.
- The scoring stalemate continued as both teams were even at 11 points.
- The Bulldogs took a 17-14 lead over the Tigers. LSU was forced to call a timeout.
- The Tigers called another timeout as Georgia extended its lead to six. LSU trailed 20-14.
- LSU’s rally felt short and Georgia won the third set, 25-20.
Set 4
- The Bulldogs jumped out to an early 4-1 lead over the Tigers.
- Georgia continued its fast scoring as it led LSU 8-2, forcing the Tigers to call a timeout.
- LSU rallied back out of the timeout but still trailed Georgia, 11-7.
- The Tigers went on a 5-0 scoring run and tied the set at 13.
- Georgia took the lead back and led LSU, 17-16.
- The Tigers were once again able to rally back and tied the score at 19.
- LSU took a timeout as it trailed the Bulldogs, 23-20.
- LSU rallied to bring the score to within two. The Bulldogs still led 24-22.
- Georgia won the set, 25-22, and forced a fifth set.
Set 5
- The score was tied early at three between the teams.
- Georgia narrowly led 5-3 over LSU.
- LSU called a timeout as it trailed the Bulldogs, 8-5.
- Three straight kills by Brister sparked a 4-0 LSU scoring run that put them ahead of Georgia, 9-8.
- After another kill by Brister and a block by Allee Morris and Rose, the Tigers led 11-8.
- LSU eventually won the set, 15-13, and clinched the match.