Knoxville, Tenn. – LSU Volleyball’s (9-12) four-match win streak came to an end on Wednesday as the Tigers lost in four sets at Tennessee (11-8) in the Thompson-Boling Arena.
The Tigers won a thrilling first set, 25-22, but Tennessee responded and took the next three sets in a row, 25-18, 25-23 and 26-24.
LSU will wrap up its season Thursday against the Lady Volunteers with first-serve scheduled for 1 p.m. CT on the SEC Network +.
“We have to be tougher tomorrow and we have to clean up the first contact,” said head coach Fran Flory. “Our serving and passing did not allow us to get Tennessee in trouble for long enough. We were very streaky which is not normal for us. I think if we’ll just stabilize and not have the ups and downs that we did today, we’ll have a better outcome tomorrow.”
Taylor Bannister led the Tigers in kills, finishing with 13. Whitney Foreman had 11 for the match on a .588 hitting percentage. Paige Flickinger and Hannah Brister each added eight kills.
Karli Rose had 42 assists, which led the team and helped pace the match. She also finished with 12 digs, giving her a double-double for the afternoon, her ninth of the season. Bannister and Brister each added nine digs of their own.
LSU struggled to score though, hitting just .197 compared to Tennessee’s .226.
“We did not play a very efficient, normal style,” Flory explained. “We were high-error offensively, which is not normal for us.”
Morgahn Fingall had 23 kills for the Lady Volunteers and Madison Bryant and Lily Felts paced the Lady Vols in digs with 13 and 10, respectively.
How it Happened
Set 1
- Both teams traded points to start the set, and the score was tied early at three.
- The back-and-forth scoring continued as the teams were tied at eight.
- Tennessee took a slight 12-9 lead over LSU.
- LSU the Volunteers 15-13 as a media timeout was called.
- Tennessee continued to lead the Tigers, 20-17, as LSU used a timeout.
- Using a kill by Whitney Foreman and two errors by the Volunteers, LSU tied the score at 20.
- A kill by Anita Anwusi gave the Tigers a 22-21 lead.
- Tennessee called a timeout as it trailed the Tigers, 23-21.
- LSU was eventually able to win the first set, 25-22.
Set 2
- The Tigers were able to take a quick 4-1 lead.
- Tennessee rallied back and was able to take the lead over LSU, 7-6.
- LSU called a timeout as they trailed, 10-6.
- After a 4-0 scoring run capped off by a Hannah Brister kill, the Tigers tied the score at 10.
- The Volunteers were able to take the lead back. LSU trailed 17-13 as it called a timeout.
- Back-to-back kills by Taylor Bannister had the Tigers trailing Tennessee, 20-16.
- Tennessee’s lead was cut to three after a Paige Flickinger kill. LSU was down 20-17.
- Despite the rally by the Tigers, Tennessee won the set, 25-18.
Set 3
- The score was tied at three between the teams.
- Tennessee took a slim 5-3 lead over the Tigers.
- LSU rallied back, but the Volunteers still led, 9-7.
- The Tigers eventually tied the score at 10.
- LSU was able to take a 13-12 lead after a Tennessee attack error.
- The Volunteers were able to comeback and tie the score at 16.
- LSU used a 3-0 scoring run, started by a Bannister kill, to take the lead back, 19-16.
- Another kill by Bannister gave the Tigers a narrow 23-21 lead as the set was nearing a finale.
- The Volunteers were able to tie the score at 23 as LSU called a timeout.
- Tennessee ended the set on a 4-0 scoring run and won, 25-23.
Set 4
- Tennessee led LSU 3-2 early in the set.
- Both teams traded points, but the Volunteers still led, 7-4.
- After a kill by Karli Rose, LSU tied the score at eight.
- LSU took a 12-10 lead as Tennessee called a timeout.
- A Foreman kill put the Tigers up, 14-12.
- Tennessee took a timeout as it trailed LSU, 17-14.
- Using a 4-1 scoring run out of the timeout, the Volunteers tied the score at 18.
- LSU took a timeout, trailing 21-18 to Tennessee.
- The Tigers were able to rally and tie the score at 23 late in the set.
- Tennessee won the set, 26-24, and clinched the match against the Tigers.